<rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><channel><title>cradle2kindy</title><description>cradle2kindy</description><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/articles</link><item><title>How to Keep Your Cool When Your Little One Has Lost Theirs</title><description><![CDATA[Join the FREE 6 week program: Confident Parenting Solutions www.cradle2kindy.com.au/confidentparentinglp Join the FREE Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/cpsolutions Watch the ABC program on Suicide Survivors: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/you-cant-ask-that/LE1617H003S00#<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/a0OEUH6PI2w/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2018/01/26/How-to-Keep-Your-Cool-When-Your-Little-One-Has-Lost-Theirs</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2018/01/26/How-to-Keep-Your-Cool-When-Your-Little-One-Has-Lost-Theirs</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jan 2018 04:52:30 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a0OEUH6PI2w"/><div>Join the FREE 6 week program: Confident Parenting Solutions <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/confidentparentinglp">www.cradle2kindy.com.au/confidentparentinglp</a> Join the FREE Facebook Group:<a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/cpsolutions">www.facebook.com/groups/cpsolutions</a> Watch the ABC program on Suicide Survivors: <a href="http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/you-cant-ask-that/LE1617H003S00#">http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/you-cant-ask-that/LE1617H003S00#</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>10 Tired Signs of a Newborn</title><description><![CDATA[How will you know your baby is tired? Look for the following signs: 1. Eye Rubbing (between 3-6mo. olds). 2. Jerky movements in their arms or legs. 3. A far off look in their eyes. No eye contact. 4. Seem bored. 5. Skin turns a bit red or pink on their eyebrows or under their eyes. 6. Pulling at their ear or hair. 7. Has the urge to suck. 8. Little hands making fists. 9. Grizzling leading to crying. 10. Are more likely to "spill" their milk. When you notice any one of these tired symptoms begin<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_6f22cf1f826941d89ee8e1bbe952138c%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_6f22cf1f826941d89ee8e1bbe952138c%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/18/10-Tired-Signs-of-a-Newborn</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/18/10-Tired-Signs-of-a-Newborn</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:56:45 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_6f22cf1f826941d89ee8e1bbe952138c~mv2.png"/><div>How will you know your baby is tired? Look for the following signs: 1. Eye Rubbing (between 3-6mo. olds). 2. Jerky movements in their arms or legs. 3. A far off look in their eyes. No eye contact. 4. Seem bored. 5. Skin turns a bit red or pink on their eyebrows or under their eyes. 6. Pulling at their ear or hair. 7. Has the urge to suck. 8. Little hands making fists. 9. Grizzling leading to crying. 10. Are more likely to &quot;spill&quot; their milk. When you notice any one of these tired symptoms begin your sleep routine straight away. Don't worry about &quot;Wait. It hasn't been a full 90 minutes yet!&quot; They need to start going to sleep before 90 minutes to be fully asleep by that point. Otherwise you will have a very unsettled and overtired baby on your hands. It takes a bit of detective work at first but in no time you will pick up on YOUR baby's tired cues and you will quickly help them transition to sleep. We can help you develop a sleep plan for your family if you feel like you need a helping hand.Get in touch.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Signs of an Overtired Newborn</title><description><![CDATA[How do you know your baby is overtired? 1. They will scream and cry and find it difficult to be comforted or settled. 2. They will have difficulty feeding because they are distressed and exhausted. 3. They will not show signs of healthy growth. Babies grow during their sleep. If they are not getting good sleep and and not eating well, on top of that (see above), their growth will slow down. 4. Any small annoyance or pain will be exacerbated by their tiredness. They might seem fine at one moment<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_bdaaf171ccd846cc8c8be6435aa6617c%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_bdaaf171ccd846cc8c8be6435aa6617c%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/17/Signs-of-an-Overtired-Newborn</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/17/Signs-of-an-Overtired-Newborn</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:56:29 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_bdaaf171ccd846cc8c8be6435aa6617c~mv2.png"/><div>How do you know your baby is overtired? 1. They will scream and cry and find it difficult to be comforted or settled. 2. They will have difficulty feeding because they are distressed and exhausted. 3. They will not show signs of healthy growth. Babies grow during their sleep. If they are not getting good sleep and and not eating well, on top of that (see above), their growth will slow down. 4. Any small annoyance or pain will be exacerbated by their tiredness. They might seem fine at one moment but completely lose it over the smallest thing. 5. Reflux will be more prominent if they are overtired as their little muscles are tired babies are likely to &quot;spill&quot; their milk more readily in this state. In this state, do what you can to soothe them. Remove you and the baby to a dark, quiet room. Turn on your Sleep Solutions white noise (available here: www.cradle2kindy.com.au/sleep-solutions-mp3). Swaddle with their arms down and hips and legs loose. And proceed to shush, pat and rub them matching the intensity of their cry until they settle. Still unsure? Arrange <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">a free 20 minute consultation</a> and we'll walk you through the steps.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Newborn Sleep Coaching Session</title><description><![CDATA[If you decide that a Parent Coach is a right fit for you to help you feel confident helping your newborn get the sleep he or she needs, here's what to expect: It is advised that you first meet with a lactation consultant at this early stage to be sure that feeding is not the issue with your newborn's sleep. Your lactation consultant will establish if your newborn's latch and sucking is helping it get the milk it needs to grow and thrive. Why should you engage a Parent Coach to help you with<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_43268710592549148f4de09e3a7442b0%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_43268710592549148f4de09e3a7442b0%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/16/Newborn-Sleep-Coaching-Session</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/16/Newborn-Sleep-Coaching-Session</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:56:15 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_43268710592549148f4de09e3a7442b0~mv2.png"/><div>If you decide that a Parent Coach is a right fit for you to help you feel confident helping your newborn get the sleep he or she needs, here's what to expect: It is advised that you first meet with a lactation consultant at this early stage to be sure that feeding is not the issue with your newborn's sleep. Your lactation consultant will establish if your newborn's latch and sucking is helping it get the milk it needs to grow and thrive. Why should you engage a Parent Coach to help you with sleep solutions? A baby grows when they sleep. If they are not getting good cycles of sleep, they will not grow and thrive. An overtired baby also does not feed well, which compounds their growth problem. If you are worried or confused about all the different sleep approaches, we can help you narrow down which approach is best for you and your family. Your Parent Coach will ask you about where your baby is sleeping. In a bassinet? Cot? Bed-sharing? And about your newborn's sleep environment. Your room? Baby's room? Is it dark? Cold? Warm? You will also be asked about your baby's weight which will help your coach assess if the baby is growing and thriving for it's age and how many night time feeds should be expected. Your coach, if it's a home visit, will arrive sometime in the middle of the day. Your coach wants to observe the baby before it reaches the over-tired evening phase. Together you will set up the bedtime routine, with our Sleep Solutions white noise (available here: www.cradle2kindy.com.au/sleep-solutions-mp3), and a good wind-down routine including a swaddling demonstration. Your coach will observe your breastfeeding for a full feed, if possible to watch for any fussy signs. Your coach will demonstrate a shushing, patting technique to help settle the baby from your arms to the bassinet or cot. If you are hoping to wean yourself off any props like rocking, feeding to sleep, holding, etc, your coach will help you kick the habit and find other solutions. It's an exciting time and you should be proud that you are doing your best for your baby and your entire family by receiving coaching in this area. Your friends and family will wish they had done the same with their newborns.Get in touch. Coaching services are also available over SKYPE, phone, Facetime and even email.</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>HELP! My Newborn Cries Till 9pm Every Night</title><description><![CDATA[This is the most common concern of newborn parents when they reach out to a parent coach for sleep assistance. Their newborn experiences and extended period of grizzling, feeding and crying during the evening till 9 or 10pm. The most common cause is that the infant is overtired. They may need to go to bed earlier. Try a bath at 6 aiming for bedtime at 6:30pm. It exacerbates the problem and over-stimulates the baby when parents constantly swap settling strategies and parents during this time. If<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_3ea2e109e4ee49b38049310ce62bb4df%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_3ea2e109e4ee49b38049310ce62bb4df%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/15/HELP-My-Newborn-Cries-Till-9pm-Every-Night</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/15/HELP-My-Newborn-Cries-Till-9pm-Every-Night</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:55:56 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_3ea2e109e4ee49b38049310ce62bb4df~mv2.png"/><div>This is the most common concern of newborn parents when they reach out to a parent coach for sleep assistance. Their newborn experiences and extended period of grizzling, feeding and crying during the evening till 9 or 10pm. The most common cause is that the infant is overtired. They may need to go to bed earlier. Try a bath at 6 aiming for bedtime at 6:30pm. It exacerbates the problem and over-stimulates the baby when parents constantly swap settling strategies and parents during this time. If you are struggling mentally to sustain a settling technique, by all means swap so that you can get into a healthy mental state to care for your upset infant. But when possible, limit swapping as much as possible. Do not leave your baby to cry. They do not have the ability this early on to soothe themselves and will create negative associations with sleep time. You will have to spend a long time re-establishing trust with your newborn if they have been left to cry over long periods as your regular strategy. Is your baby hungry? Some mums will feed for five minutes on both sides and then put them to bed when their tired baby hasn't yet had a full feed. Do not unlatch baby. Let them unlatch themselves when they have emptied your breast and then shift to the other side. As long as they are sucking, they are still feeding. Examine your bed time routine. Is it a clear transition from being wakeful to signalling that it's time to wind down to sleep. Have a relaxing bath BEFORE the baby is showing tired signs. Their body temperature will begin to lower as you dry them and get them dressed and swaddled for the night. Enjoy cuddles, a song ... even a story. And then give your bed time feed before settling them to sleep in your arms and transitioning them to bed, still using settling techniques while they lie in bed till they are deep asleep. If you are experiencing poor naps during the day, this may be causing your baby to be over-tired at bed time. You might try putting them down for a nap at 4pm. If they wake at 5 or 5:30, you can feed, bathe, cuddle, feed and put to bed by 6:30pm or 7pm. Is their sleep environment appropriate for sleep? Is it dark? Is it too cold or too warm. Make any adjustments necessary. There are so many variables that cause a baby to be unsettled. Follow the above tips and that will help eliminate any external problems that might be causing restlessness. We can do a SKYPE, Facetime, Email or even an In Home Consultation to help you discover some strategies to help your family achieve optimum sleep. Get in touch.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tag-teaming for Sleep Success</title><description><![CDATA[Teamwork will set everyone up for success sharing the load with helping your newborn learn healthy sleep habits. Take turns doing night time feeds and settling. Breastfeeding mums can express before they head to bed at 9pm. Dad can then use the night time expressed milk to take on the first feeding shift at either 10:30pm or 1am. The night time expressing will ensure that all sorts of lovely sleepy hormones in the mum's night milk benefits the newborn's sleep. This extra stretch of sleep will<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_f3ab420a6a1e463aac4d99d155cf4b9a%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_f3ab420a6a1e463aac4d99d155cf4b9a%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/13/Tag-teaming-for-Sleep-Success</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/13/Tag-teaming-for-Sleep-Success</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:55:39 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_f3ab420a6a1e463aac4d99d155cf4b9a~mv2.png"/><div>Teamwork will set everyone up for success sharing the load with helping your newborn learn healthy sleep habits. Take turns doing night time feeds and settling. Breastfeeding mums can express before they head to bed at 9pm. Dad can then use the night time expressed milk to take on the first feeding shift at either 10:30pm or 1am. The night time expressing will ensure that all sorts of lovely sleepy hormones in the mum's night milk benefits the newborn's sleep. This extra stretch of sleep will help mum better manage her day caring for her newborn rather than running on little sleep and having the same reaction time and unsafe decision making capacity as someone with the same levels of intoxication that would make them unfit to drive. Need help figuring out how tag-teaming will work for your family? Contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions and we'll walk you through the steps.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Realistic Expectations for Overnight Newborn Sleep</title><description><![CDATA[It helps most newborn parents to know they are not alone with the stresses of newborn sleep. It helps them know that most parents are required to persevere through six weeks worth of newborn wakefulness between 5-10pm. Some may cluster feed for six weeks but do great big chunks of night time sleep. All completely normal. The following guidelines might help you set realistic expectations for your newborn's sleep. Weigh your baby and decide where they fall. 1. From 4kg you can expect 2 night feeds<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_f927015c529b466b841766ebd6a4bece%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_f927015c529b466b841766ebd6a4bece%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/12/Realistic-Expectations-for-Overnight-Newborn-Sleep</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/12/Realistic-Expectations-for-Overnight-Newborn-Sleep</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:55:23 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_f927015c529b466b841766ebd6a4bece~mv2.png"/><div>It helps most newborn parents to know they are not alone with the stresses of newborn sleep. It helps them know that most parents are required to persevere through six weeks worth of newborn wakefulness between 5-10pm. Some may cluster feed for six weeks but do great big chunks of night time sleep. All completely normal. The following guidelines might help you set realistic expectations for your newborn's sleep. Weigh your baby and decide where they fall. 1. From 4kg you can expect 2 night feeds between 7pm and 7am. Perhaps 3, if there is a 6am feed. 2. From 5kg-6kg expect no more than 2 feeds during the night. 3. From 6.5kg it is physically possible to sleep from 10:30pm-7am on one feed if all day feeds have been adequate. Below are two examples of two feeds overnight. Choose one that works for you. 1. Feed and sleep at 7pm. Feed, change, sleep when they wake at 1am. Feed, change, sleep at 4am. Wake and feed at 7am. 2. Feed and sleep at 7pm. Wake (60 minutes to create a &quot;sleep debt&quot;), feed and sleep at 10:30pm. Feed, change, sleep at 3:30am. Wake and feed at 7am. The first option is good for mums who want to get to bed early. The second option is for mums who don't want to wake up more than once in the night so start the 10:30pm wake,feed,sleep before they themselves go to bed. The second also teaches them to drop the 3:30am feed first giving the mum a longer stretch of sleep. As you can see, either option still has two feeds between 7pm and 7am. Their bodies are excellent calorie regulators. Choose a method that works best for you. Let us know if we can help you choose an option best suited for your family. Get in touch.</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is a Newborn Routine for You?</title><description><![CDATA[What are some of the Pros and Cons of setting up a routine for your 0-12 week old? Pros: 1. All babies thrive on consistency. 2. If you have a regular rhythm to your day it will be easier to spot issues or abnormalities. 3. A newborn on a routine will often adopt healthy sleep habits sooner. 4. Night time sleeps will group together resulting in fewer wake-ups. 5. Skipped feeds are not an issue. 6. Simple to plan for your day. Cons: 1. Adhering to a strict routine might cause stress to the<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_4dfa8f1aaeaa401f9ebca5b6393738b6%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_4dfa8f1aaeaa401f9ebca5b6393738b6%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/11/Is-a-Newborn-Routine-for-You</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/11/Is-a-Newborn-Routine-for-You</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:55:08 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_4dfa8f1aaeaa401f9ebca5b6393738b6~mv2.png"/><div>What are some of the Pros and Cons of setting up a routine for your 0-12 week old? Pros: 1. All babies thrive on consistency. 2. If you have a regular rhythm to your day it will be easier to spot issues or abnormalities. 3. A newborn on a routine will often adopt healthy sleep habits sooner. 4. Night time sleeps will group together resulting in fewer wake-ups. 5. Skipped feeds are not an issue. 6. Simple to plan for your day. Cons: 1. Adhering to a strict routine might cause stress to the parent. 2. Routines are not necessarily appropriate for their age. 3. If it proves to be unachieveable due to many life factors, it could possibly set the parent up for feeling like a failure. What do you think? Is a routine for you? We'll help you set up a practical and realistic routine if that's the path you want to take. Contact us and we'll help you get started.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Effect Does Light Have on My Newborn's Sleep?</title><description><![CDATA[How does light affect your newborn's sleep? Light, especially sunlight, blue or white light cause the brain to produce Serotonin. The Serotonin hormone is converted to Melatonin when it's dark. Melatonin makes us drowsy but it is inhibited by light. This is why as adults we find it difficult to fall asleep after using our mobile devices at bed time. Build up plenty of stores of Serotonin in their system during the day with time outdoors and they'll be set for a nice, snoozy evening.SaveSave<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_941e584ed4e546fa979254b7b1701837%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_941e584ed4e546fa979254b7b1701837%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/10/What-Effect-Does-Light-Have-on-My-Newborns-Sleep</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/10/What-Effect-Does-Light-Have-on-My-Newborns-Sleep</guid><pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2017 04:54:47 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_941e584ed4e546fa979254b7b1701837~mv2.png"/><div>How does light affect your newborn's sleep? Light, especially sunlight, blue or white light cause the brain to produce Serotonin. The Serotonin hormone is converted to Melatonin when it's dark. Melatonin makes us drowsy but it is inhibited by light. This is why as adults we find it difficult to fall asleep after using our mobile devices at bed time. Build up plenty of stores of Serotonin in their system during the day with time outdoors and they'll be set for a nice, snoozy evening.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Preventing Hip Dysplasia</title><description><![CDATA[Swaddling is all the rage. But doctors are noticing a rise in a condition that they had previously thought they had eradicated decades ago: Hip Dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia occurs in newborns when their legs are unnaturally straightened dislocating their hips out of their sockets. As you can see in the image above, an infant's hips naturally want to spread out like "frog legs". Modern sleep systems like fitted zip up cocoons attempt to straighten their legs for long amounts of time putting strain on<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_86a001a95b2c40e48e8b46ce7d076b37%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_86a001a95b2c40e48e8b46ce7d076b37%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/19/Preventing-Hip-Dysplasia</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/19/Preventing-Hip-Dysplasia</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Apr 2017 23:45:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_86a001a95b2c40e48e8b46ce7d076b37~mv2.png"/><div>Swaddling is all the rage. But doctors are noticing a rise in a condition that they had previously thought they had eradicated decades ago: Hip Dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia occurs in newborns when their legs are unnaturally straightened dislocating their hips out of their sockets. As you can see in the image above, an infant's hips naturally want to spread out like &quot;frog legs&quot;. Modern sleep systems like fitted zip up cocoons attempt to straighten their legs for long amounts of time putting strain on the baby's ligaments and tendons in their hips. When swaddling, do so safely to promote optimum hip health. Keep the arms tight down by their side but their hips loose. This video shows examples of appropriate wrapping and explains the risks involved:</div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LLqfRQdUP7k"/><div> When a Parent Coach comes to your home, you will be shown a few different options for healthy, safe swaddling. You can choose which you prefer and works best for your family.<a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">Arrange your consultation today.</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Newborn Sleep Myths</title><description><![CDATA[There is so much information out there coming from all different sources. Your mum has one piece of advice and your child health nurse takes a different approach. What should you believe? Myth #1: Never Wake a Sleeping Baby By all means wake a newborn if they have slept past the time they need to feed. You also want to help their biological clock along, so waking them up to start their day at 7am will help them in the long run. If not, their internal clock won't sync with what is happening<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_d66ecebb5ff94ecf9a75aaac0b5fc9ea%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_d66ecebb5ff94ecf9a75aaac0b5fc9ea%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/09/Newborn-Sleep-Myths</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/09/Newborn-Sleep-Myths</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Apr 2017 23:32:15 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_d66ecebb5ff94ecf9a75aaac0b5fc9ea~mv2.png"/><div>There is so much information out there coming from all different sources. Your mum has one piece of advice and your child health nurse takes a different approach. What should you believe? Myth #1: Never Wake a Sleeping Baby By all means wake a newborn if they have slept past the time they need to feed. You also want to help their biological clock along, so waking them up to start their day at 7am will help them in the long run. If not, their internal clock won't sync with what is happening outside if they sleep in past 9am when the sun has already been up for 3 hours. Myth #2: Formula is Better for Infant Sleep Breastfed babies can learn healthy sleep habits the same as formula babies. There is little evidence to back up this myth. Myth #3: Controlled Crying Will Help a Newborn Sleep This approach assumes that a newborn has the neurological maturity to self soothe. A newborn does not have the ability to self soothe. This requires parental assistance to help newborns achieve healthy sleep. Myth #4: Swaddling Is Cruel and Unsafe &quot;I would hate to be wrapped up tight. Why would I do that to my baby?!&quot; Your baby is not an adult. You may not thrive on a complete diet of human milk but your newborn loves it! Swaddling helps them soothe and feel comfort. It can be used safely if a swaddled baby is placed on their back to sleep on a firm mattress. Do not place a swaddled baby to sleep with you in bed, on a sofa, on their tummy nor on their side. These are all unsafe. Myth #5: Have them sleep in a light room during the day. This may work for the first five weeks, however, from week 6 incorporate a dark room into their sleep environment. Their bodies begin to produce Melatonin (the sleep hormone) only when it's dark. Good luck with sifting through the multitude of information swirling around out there in the world. We're happy to help you sift through it all and determine what works best for you and your family. Contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions and we'll get started with a 20 minute FREE consultation over the phone or SKYPE.</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Is Colic?</title><description><![CDATA[Colic is essentially undiagnosable crying. Health professionals attribute many different factors to a baby having colic. 1. Over-feeding. Too much milk and too quickly might upset their stomach making them quite sensitive and out of sorts. Space out your feeds, if this is the case, especially if you are bottle feeding. Be sure to get your measurements just right, as well. 2. A tongue or lip tie might be causing them stomach or wind distress. They'll not have a proper latch and will suck down a<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_1290a27263194a7e867f60a89d042607%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_1290a27263194a7e867f60a89d042607%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/08/What-Is-Colic</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/08/What-Is-Colic</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Apr 2017 23:31:55 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_1290a27263194a7e867f60a89d042607~mv2.png"/><div>Colic is essentially undiagnosable crying. Health professionals attribute many different factors to a baby having colic. 1. Over-feeding. Too much milk and too quickly might upset their stomach making them quite sensitive and out of sorts. Space out your feeds, if this is the case, especially if you are bottle feeding. Be sure to get your measurements just right, as well. 2. A tongue or lip tie might be causing them stomach or wind distress. They'll not have a proper latch and will suck down a lot of air before the milk. 3. Reflux. If you are at all worried that this may be an issue with your baby, please speak to your infant's doctor. 4. Over tiredness. Catch those tired signs early and start transitioning them to sleep as soon as they appear. 5. Several hours of crying every day is a sign of true colic. Do you have a &quot;Colicy Baby&quot;? If your baby is on this spectrum you can expect that they will need sleep training once things have settled down. In the meantime, turn down the lights and stick to one parent and one method of settling. If they are over-tired any little change or irritant will make things worse, including the tag on the back of their onesie! If you sense you need to change things up to &quot;shock&quot; it out of their system if they are unsettleable, you can try the following to apply external stimulation: • Swaddle their arms tightly applying pressure to their upper body. The swaddle should be tight but loose enough to breathe freely. • Change their envirnonment. In fact, it would be a good idea to take them outside and walk around the garden. • Sucking at either a dummy or breast might help soothe them. • Infant massage is a great way to soothe. • Skin on skin. Whether feeding or bathing in the bath or shower together works brilliantly. It is a tough time and there are so many unanswered questions about colic. The important thing is to get help! Don't do it alone, to protect your own mental health. Get dad to take a shift or your mum, sister or friend can all lend a hand so you can have a few hours to recuperate from caring for your colicy baby. You'll return refreshed and ready to re-enter the soothing zone. We're happy to also help you come up with strategies that work for your family. <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">Get in touch</a> with Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions and we'll start your journey to more confidence with a FREE 20 minute consulatation over the phone or SKYPE.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Is Circadian Rhythm?</title><description><![CDATA[Circadian Rhythm is another phrase for your baby's "biological clock". It syncs real time with their internal time. Use this time to help your baby get into a sleep/wake rhythm. It is incredibly accurate how your baby's biological clock adapts to the rhythm of the day. We know that the following factors can help set their biological clock: 1. Food 2. Light 3. Social Interaction Use these three to help your baby develop good awake and sleep rhythms. In the morning at around 7am, open your<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_310f9260b15a4567b39029a2a6e6e078%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/07/What-Is-Circadian-Rhythm</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/07/What-Is-Circadian-Rhythm</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 2017 22:10:37 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_310f9260b15a4567b39029a2a6e6e078~mv2.png"/><div>Circadian Rhythm is another phrase for your baby's &quot;biological clock&quot;. It syncs real time with their internal time. Use this time to help your baby get into a sleep/wake rhythm. It is incredibly accurate how your baby's biological clock adapts to the rhythm of the day. We know that the following factors can help set their biological clock: 1. Food 2. Light 3. Social Interaction Use these three to help your baby develop good awake and sleep rhythms. In the morning at around 7am, open your curtains and greet your baby for the day with lots of smiles. Offer her a feed, followed by lots of talking and singing while you change their nappy. At night, keep the room dark and have feeding and and changes with no playtime and minimum social interaction. The Circadian Rhythm is controlled by hormones Melatonin and Cortisol. Melatonin peaks just as the sun goes down around 7pm for infants. That is when Cortisol is at its lowest levels. As the sun rises, Cortisol peaks and Melatonin is at its lowest levels. Use this to your advantage. Start your day at 6-7am so that your newborn's internal and external time gets in sync. Similarly, put your baby to bed with the sun around 7pm each day, working WITH the hormones at work in their bodies. It's also interesting to note that your newborn's body temperature also begins to lower around 7pm preparing them for sleep. Use this to your advantage, Have a warm bath around 6:30pm so that their outside environment of getting out of a warm bath and cooling down matches what their hormones are doing. They will be so lovely and sleepy and ready for cuddles and good night's rest. Their body temperature will reach its lowest level around 3 a.m. A baby or even older child who may have kicked off her blankets around this time might wake up cold and shivering. The science of sleep is so fascinating. Take it all into account as you work on setting up healthy sleep habits for your newborn. You'll be impressed with how reliable their biological clock will become. Don't forget that we are here to help you. Contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions and we'll set up a FREE 20 minute consultation to walk you through some strategies to get you started.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Is Normal for a Newborn 8-12 Weeks?</title><description><![CDATA[You'll be so glad to hear that right around the 8 week mark your little one's body begins producing the sleep hormone Melatonin. From this point you'll see that their sleep cycles will become clear and established. On the other hand, catnapping can also emerge during this time. Use the following tips to help your baby learn to love sleep: 1. Keep their sleeping environment dark. Melatonin is produced during dark periods. Light in the room confuses their internal biological clock. 2. Swaddling.<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_2c479024919643a39a6d94480d439df9%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_2c479024919643a39a6d94480d439df9%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/06/What-Is-Normal-for-a-Newborn-8-12-Weeks</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/06/What-Is-Normal-for-a-Newborn-8-12-Weeks</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 2017 22:09:08 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_2c479024919643a39a6d94480d439df9~mv2.png"/><div>You'll be so glad to hear that right around the 8 week mark your little one's body begins producing the sleep hormone Melatonin. From this point you'll see that their sleep cycles will become clear and established. On the other hand, catnapping can also emerge during this time. Use the following tips to help your baby learn to love sleep: 1. Keep their sleeping environment dark. Melatonin is produced during dark periods. Light in the room confuses their internal biological clock. 2. Swaddling. Keep those arms down and legs loose. This cozy situation will help them focus and settle down. 3. White noise. Use our &quot;Sleep Solutions&quot; white noise MP3 to help their brains focus and remove any noise distractions from their sleep environment. It should be as loud as a vacuum to start off and can be lowered once the baby has settled. Download your MP3 here: www.cradle2kindy.com.au/sleep-solutions-mp3 4. Weight Gain. Is your baby still gaining about 30gr per day or at least 150gr per week? Great! They're right on track. If you are at all concerned, schedule a chat with your newborn's doctor. 5. Expect to assist your newborn to get to sleep. Shushing, patting and rocking are all great ways to help your little one enter the realm of sleep. Once they are 90% of the way there, you can put them in their cot and continue rubbing their back or patting until they have drifted off. 6. Day time sleeps are around 4 hours all together. Night time sleeps average about 11-12 hours. 7. At this age, they are starting to drop the late night cluster feed and you can bring their bed time forward to 6-7pm. 8. You'll be glad to hear that Colic crying begins to subside around this age. If it persists past 12 weeks, talk to your doctor about the possibility of Reflux being an issue. 9. Twelve weeks is a great age to start a routine with your baby. You can wake them up at 7am each morning. Plan their awake, feed, play, maybe another feed, and sleep times throughout the day, putting them down for the night at 7pm. 10. Your baby's Circadian Rhythm is beginning to develop. This is their biological clock that helps them sync what is going on around them with their internal time. When the sun rises, that's when they want to be awake, etc. This is such a great age as you and baby get into a groove and really get to know each other. A parent coach can assist you in boosting your confidence during this age and help you develop a strategy that will work for your family. Get in touch. Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions would love to help.<a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">Book your FREE 20 minute phone or SKYPE.</a></div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Is Normal for a Newborn 4-6 Weeks?</title><description><![CDATA[Once the maternal melatonin (your sleep hormone you have passed on to your baby) has worn off at 4 weeks, things really start to get interesting. Four to six weeks is quite an in-between time. Some babies will still be very sleepy. But most likely, your newborn will be very wakeful. Come to expect this. They have lost all of the maternal melatonin in their system and their body is not yet making it's own sleep hormone to compensate. This three week period may require a lot of assistance on your<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_c69a9872984b4c8082bd56ba18de9da3%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_c69a9872984b4c8082bd56ba18de9da3%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/05/What-Is-Normal-for-a-Newborn-4-6-Weeks</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/05/What-Is-Normal-for-a-Newborn-4-6-Weeks</guid><pubDate>Thu, 06 Apr 2017 22:07:57 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_c69a9872984b4c8082bd56ba18de9da3~mv2.png"/><div>Once the maternal melatonin (your sleep hormone you have passed on to your baby) has worn off at 4 weeks, things really start to get interesting. Four to six weeks is quite an in-between time. Some babies will still be very sleepy. But most likely, your newborn will be very wakeful. Come to expect this. They have lost all of the maternal melatonin in their system and their body is not yet making it's own sleep hormone to compensate. This three week period may require a lot of assistance on your part to settle them to sleep. What to expect: 1. More awake time: At this point their awake time will likely stretch to 60-90 minutes. This is from waking up to being asleep. If you know that it may require 10-20 minutes of your time to help your newborn transition to sleep, factor that in to your 60-90 minutes of awake time. What you really don't want is to ignore tired signs during play time, peak at the time, realise it's been 90 minutes of awake and play time and THEN begin transitioning them to sleep. You'll have one tired, grumpy baby on your hands and you may have missed the window of opportunity for transitioning to a long nap. This is one of the most common new parent mistakes for newborn sleep. 2. You'll also notice that their day sleeps are shortening at this stage. That 2 weeks old's 2.5 hour nap may become a 1 hour nap. Are they happy and alert after an hour? Are they healthy and thriving? Don't worry about resettling after an hour, then. Day time sleeps will be 4.5-5 hours total over the day. While night time sleeps will begin to cover 11-12 hours over the night. You'll begin to notice their sleep cycles becoming regular. REM (light or active) sleep will possibly stretch from 20-45 minutes. Some 4-6 month olds will cluster feed at night and not go down to bed till 9pm. You'll know that this is a successful cluster feed if they then sleep for several hours after being put to bed, maybe only waking once or twice for a feed and change till morning. If, however, they are waking before or at 12am, this is not successful cluster feeding. This is mostly just an over-tired baby. Attempt to settle them to bed earlier in the evening, if this is the case. 3. Another completely normal event during this stage is PEAK crying at six weeks. Yes. It is completely normal for a six week old to spend several hours over 24 hours crying. 4. On the flip side, you will momentarily forget about all the crying when ... get ready for it ... your six month old melts your heart to complete mush when it smiles at you! Yes, at 6 weeks your sweet newborn will have learned to &quot;socially smile&quot;. No, this is not gas and you'll know it. There will be full eye contact and your precious bundle will flash you the most dazzling grin of complete and utter love. Doctors use this developmental milestone to asses the infant's neurological age. If your newborn was 2 weeks late and they are smiling at four weeks, they will assess them &quot;neurologically&quot; at 6 weeks. Was your baby born 2 weeks early? They might not smile till 8 weeks. 5. You'll be glad to know that breastfeeding is really getting established by this point. They should have a nice good latch and have become more efficient at suckling and receiving the milk they need. 6. At this stage, Doctors will also assess if some sleep or crying problems are due to Reflux. This is when light doses of reflux medication might start to be administered. 7. Keep swaddling your baby. You may have found that the first three weeks they were sooooooo sleepy that you found no need to swaddle. Keep at it. With this time period they need all the help they can get to be comfortable and snug and settled for sleep. 8. Introduce &quot;White Noise&quot; at this stage. This will remind them of the noises wooshing around them in the womb. It will also help focus their brain when helping them sleep. To be effective, make the white noise as loud as their cries. As loud as a vacuum cleaner. As their cries settle down, lower the noise of the crying. You can download an MP3 of our White Noise at <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/sleep-solutions-mp3">www.cradle2kindy.com.au/sleep-solutions-mp3</a> 9. Your newborn's weight gain during this stage will average between 150-210gr. Any less than this, speak to your doctor or lactation consultant. A great way to assess if a breastfed baby is getting enough milk is to weigh it immediately before and immediately after a feed. Some breasts do not pump efficiently and pumping is not a clear indication of how much a baby is sucking. 10. Six weeks is a great time to bring a Parent Coach in to begin a sleep plan for your family. Sleep cycle patterns are beginning to emerge and parents have a good idea now of where they are struggling and may need a helping hand to boost their confidence. Contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions for a free 20 minute consultation.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Is Normal  for a Newborn 1-3 Weeks?</title><description><![CDATA[Your newborn will be soooooo sleepy during its first three weeks thanks to your Maternal Melatonin still in its system. Here's what to expect of your sweet, sleepy little newborn. During weeks one to three, expect your newborn to sleep 16 hours a day. That's only 8 hours of awake time in a 24 hour period. They may have a 2.5 hour nap and only wake up for a feed and a nappy change and a swaddle and go back down after only 40-60 minutes of awake time. This is completely normal. Your newborn will<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_e2ff45bf83b44fb7ad384884b6793954%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/04/What-Is-Normal-Newborn-Quiet-Sleep</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/04/What-Is-Normal-Newborn-Quiet-Sleep</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Apr 2017 22:25:35 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_e2ff45bf83b44fb7ad384884b6793954~mv2.png"/><div>Your newborn will be soooooo sleepy during its first three weeks thanks to your Maternal Melatonin still in its system. Here's what to expect of your sweet, sleepy little newborn. During weeks one to three, expect your newborn to sleep 16 hours a day. That's only 8 hours of awake time in a 24 hour period. They may have a 2.5 hour nap and only wake up for a feed and a nappy change and a swaddle and go back down after only 40-60 minutes of awake time. This is completely normal. Your newborn will wake, feed, have a nappy change, get swaddled and be put right back to bed for a 90 minute+ sleep. Repeat. Many have begun to promote the first three months of a baby's life as the Fourth Trimester. As such, parents are urged to consider replicating what newborns found comfortable. This is why swaddling is important. They were so used to being warm and bundled up inside the womb. To safely swaddle, keep the arms nice and tight by their sides but keep their swaddle nice and loose around their hips. Newborns should always be put down to sleep on a firm flat surface on their back with no additional loose blankets or pillows or cot bumpers. You may want to introduce the idea of daytime v.s. night time to your newborn. You can do this by keeping the curtains open during nap times, or have them in a bassinet in the lounge room during the day. Some newborns are very &quot;sucky&quot; and might benefit from a pacifier or dummy to help them settle. Warning: Do not substitute a dummy for a feed. If a newborn wakes up after 45 minutes, you might attempt to settle them back to sleep by introducing the dummy. However, if they have been asleep for 2.5 hours and are chomping vigorously at the dummy and are unsettled these are clear cues that the newborn is hungry. Do not leave feeding off for too long as a distressed baby might not be able to latch on properly to have a proper feed. Some things to be aware of: • Weight - Your newborn should be gaining (on average) 30 grams per day (210 grams/week). If you and not sure if your newborn is receiving enough milk, you can weigh your baby immediately before a feed and immediately after (do not change their nappy in between weighing). Most newborns require 1-2 weeks to regain their birth weight. • Breastfeeding - Feed frequently at this stage to establish your milk supply and your little one's latch. • Allergies and Intolerances - Keep an eye on their skin and general well-being. If sleeping is a problem for them, it is likely a feeding issue at this stage. Speak to your GP or Pediatrician if you are concerned. • Snoring - Newborns should not snore. This is an indication that a doctors attention is required. • Sweating - Sweating despite removal of layers of clothing is cause for concern. Speak to your GP or Pediatrician. • Difficult to Wake - Is your newborn not waking after long stretches of sleep for a feed? Do you have to go to great lengths to wake up your baby so they can feed properly? Speak to your doctor. This could be a sign of jaundice. • Too Hot? - Do not put a beanie on your baby as they sleep. Not only is this a SIDS risk but their head helps regulate their body heat. Touch their ears and tip of their nose. Are they cool to the touch? Perfect. Are they pink? Warm? Back of their neck sweaty? Take off their clothing and re-swaddle wearing a layer or two less. It is perfectly ok for a newborn to be swaddled wearing only a nappy if you live in a tropical, warm climate. Your sleepy little baby will wake up around the three weeks mark as the maternal Melatonin that has made it so sleepy wears off. At this point parents think there's something wrong with their baby. When in fact, the baby's body is not yet generating its own sleep hormone yet. A more alert baby who requires more assistance settling to sleep is completely normal at three weeks. If you are experiencing sleep difficulty prior to three weeks, be aware that the problem is most likely a feeding issue. You would do well to talk to a lactation consultant or pediatrician to make sure that feeding is progressing exactly as it should for your newborn's health and well-being. If you would like assistance after this three weeks stage to help get a plan in place to settle your baby to sleep, contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions and we'll set up a consultation for you.</div><div>Save</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Newborn Active Sleep v.s. Newborn Quiet Sleep</title><description><![CDATA[Understanding newborn sleep patterns will help you understand what is normal, relieving you of some new-parent stress revolving around sleep. Everyone's sleep cycle is divided into two parts. The first we know as REM sleep. This is where you dream and are easily woken up. The next stage of sleep is deep and if you were a cartoon you might have to be forcefully slapped to break you out of it. Your REM sleep takes up only 20% of your 90-100 minute complete sleep cycle. After this cycle you might<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_cc3e3e9bbb2b404592f67f1de50afaba%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/03/Newborn-Active-Sleep-vs-Newborn-Quiet-Sleep</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/03/Newborn-Active-Sleep-vs-Newborn-Quiet-Sleep</guid><pubDate>Mon, 03 Apr 2017 10:09:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_cc3e3e9bbb2b404592f67f1de50afaba~mv2.png"/><div>Understanding newborn sleep patterns will help you understand what is normal, relieving you of some new-parent stress revolving around sleep. Everyone's sleep cycle is divided into two parts. The first we know as REM sleep. This is where you dream and are easily woken up. The next stage of sleep is deep and if you were a cartoon you might have to be forcefully slapped to break you out of it. Your REM sleep takes up only 20% of your 90-100 minute complete sleep cycle. After this cycle you might wake up refreshed after a Sunday afternoon nap or enter a new sleep cycle if it's 2a.m. Newborn's sleep cycle is different to that of an adult. Their REM stage of sleep takes up half of their 40-50 minute complete sleep cycle. Here's what you need to know about newborn sleep: The REM stage is what we will call &quot;active sleeping&quot;. There is a lot of movement in this stage. Muscles are twitching. Eyelids are fluttering. They might grizzle or cry or even be woken up. Don't despair. It's all part of the normal process. Active Sleeping will take 25-30 minutes for a newborn. If you are rocking or holding your newborn, settling them through this Active Sleep stage, expect a 1/2 hour time commitment to this activity. As they transition out of this stage, you'll notice the following: • slower, more rhythmic breathing • no movement • relaxed muscles • no fluttering eyelids At this stage they have reached &quot;Quiet Sleep&quot;. The next door neighbour's dog can bark right outside your baby's window and they won't even stir. If you are holding your baby, put them down on the mattress of their cot at this point. This stage of Quiet Sleep will last approximately 20-25 minutes completing their sleep cycle. Like you they will either wake up or enter a new cycle. You might need to assist them through transitioning to a new cycle. Don't confuse their fluttering eyelids or their little grizzling sounds as signs of ready to wake up. They are working through the Active Sleep stage. Ideally, newborns need approximately a solid 90 minutes or more for each sleep. When should you help them through to the next sleep cycle? If they are not due for another feed for 40 minutes or so, help them sleep longer. Just know the difference between a hungry cry and a jerky grizzle and fluttery eye lids meaning they are transitioning through &quot;Active Sleep&quot;. If they are younger than 3 weeks and your breastfeeding or bottle feeding has not been firmly established yet, you might offer a feed. If you are concerned at all with their feeding and weight gain, contact your local lactation consultant or pediatrician to help you in this area. You should always feed a hungry baby. This is all normal. And quite a time commitment helping their little bodies and minds get the rest they need. If you need a bit of extra help with understanding your newborn's sleep, get in touch with Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions. We can either come to your home, consult via SKYPE or Facetime or even email to give you a bit of a confidence boost.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Safe Sleep Guidelines</title><description><![CDATA[With so much to worry about regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome what can you practically do to minimize the risks? In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics expanded their recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment. Here are some to consider: 1. Babies must always be put down to sleep on their backs. Even babies with reflux who might be settled to sleep on their sides, must then be put on their backs to sleep. Until babies have the ability to confidently (not accidentally) roll<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_d2046486667144f29078874220fdaf69%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_d2046486667144f29078874220fdaf69%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/02/Safe-Sleep-Guidelines</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/02/Safe-Sleep-Guidelines</guid><pubDate>Sun, 02 Apr 2017 09:37:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_d2046486667144f29078874220fdaf69~mv2.png"/><div>With so much to worry about regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome what can you practically do to minimize the risks?<a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-2284">In 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics expanded their recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment.</a> Here are some to consider: 1. Babies must always be put down to sleep on their backs. Even babies with reflux who might be settled to sleep on their sides, must then be put on their backs to sleep. Until babies have the ability to confidently (not accidentally) roll from their back to their tummy and back again, always put them on their backs. When they do get to rolling, keep all toys, pillows, bumpers and loose blankets out of the cot. A small hanky-sized lovey that is breatheable might be introduced after 6 months. 2. Use a firm, flat surface for infant sleep. It is not suitable to leave a baby sleeping in a sitting position for long periods of time. If the baby has fallen asleep in a car capsule, pram or carrier/sling, place them on a flat, firm, safe sleeping surface as soon as possible. There should be nothing in the cot with the baby to avoid entanglement or suffocation. 3. Room share. Room sharing has been shown to give you all the benefits of bed sharing without the risk. For the first six months, use a bassinet or small cot in your room for your baby's sleep. You will find that your sleep cycles will begin to sync and you will be in tune with your infant's needs. 4. Breastfeeding. While your baby can thrive and experience your love and nurturing while being fed formula, studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces the risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 5. Do not bed share. You may have friends that swear by this method of night time sleeps. The reality is that there are so many variables that make this a potentially dangerous scenario that it is not foreseeable that the American Academy of Pediatrics will ever change their minds on this issue. Here are some absolute situations when bed sharing should not be an option for your family: • Your baby is younger than 4 months old. • Your baby was born prematurely or with low birth weight. • You or any other person in the bed is a smoker (even if you do not smoke in bed). • The mother of the baby smoked during pregnancy. • You have taken any medicines or drugs that might make it harder for you to wake up. • You drank any alcohol. • You are not the baby's parent. • The surface is soft, such as a waterbed, old mattress, sofa, couch, or armchair. • There is soft bedding like pillows or blankets on the bed. *(see link at bottom of this post) 6. Swaddling is safe as long as the baby is lying flat on its back and the swaddle is loose enough that the baby can breathe and move its hips. For more visit: <a href="http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx">www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx</a> To discuss with a parent coach regarding whether or not your current sleep practices are safe, contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions to come up with a safe sleep plan for your family.</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Should I Be Worried About SIDS?</title><description><![CDATA[A parent's greatest fear. In 2015, 3700 infants died due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Unknown Causes and Accidental Suffocation or Strangulation in bed. 1,600 of those deaths were caused by SIDS. This mysterious cause of death has left families devastated. Is your little one susceptible to SIDS? What can you do? There are three main factors to SIDS. When all three of these combine, it requires the extra diligence of parents and carers. The first factor is: Critical Development<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_0e8368e0dd874df791de5ca6cef07804%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_0e8368e0dd874df791de5ca6cef07804%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/01/Should-I-Be-Worried-About-SIDS</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/04/01/Should-I-Be-Worried-About-SIDS</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Apr 2017 08:30:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_0e8368e0dd874df791de5ca6cef07804~mv2.png"/><div>A parent's greatest fear. In 2015, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sids/aboutsuidandsids.htm">3700 infants died due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome</a> (SIDS), Unknown Causes and Accidental Suffocation or Strangulation in bed. 1,600 of those deaths were caused by SIDS. This mysterious cause of death has left families devastated. Is your little one susceptible to SIDS? What can you do? There are three main factors to SIDS. When all three of these combine, it requires the extra diligence of parents and carers. The first factor is: Critical Development Period.</div><div>This period of an infant's development spans from birth - 6 months. During this time period infants need to be put to sleep on their backs ideally in an infant sleeping bag. Their cot surface ought to be firm and not plush. Keep all toys and loose blankets and pillows out of the cot, including cot bumpers. The second factor is: Outside Stressors.</div><div>These external influences include loose blankets or pillows in the infant's cot. Additional factors include a parent smoking around the infant or even during pregnancy. Sharing a bed with your infant after drinking alcohol or taking medication or drugs that decrease your own waking response are also serious risk factors. Additionally, sleeping on a sofa or arm chair heightens the risk. The final factor is: Vulnerable Infant.</div><div>This glitch in an infant's brain stem is (at the moment) undetectable with tests. There is no way of knowing if your infant has this dysfunction in their brainstem. The glitch involves an immature cardioresperatory (or arousal) system. This glitch means they don't have the reactive response at this age to awaken if their airway is obstructed or covered.  Your mother may have put you to sleep on your tummy and you turned out fine. Your sister swears by this new-fangled pillow contraption the baby store is now selling. Half of your mother's group are co-sleeping. The fact is you don't know if your infant is vulnerable. You cannot risk it. As your infant gets older and past the Critical Development Period where they are rolling around and sitting up on their own, you can be a bit more flexible. But until then, with the information you now have, be determined to protect the health and wellbeing of your infant and do your utmost to not let these three factors combine (like a ven diagram) to bring about the worst outcome for your family. We can give you other solutions to better sleep for your infant. Contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions to begin your journey to better family sleep.</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What to Do When Your Parenting Styles Clash</title><description><![CDATA[Do you and your partner differ on your approach to parenting? Hans Kelder of Hobart Marriage Counselling reflects that couples come from different family cultures. One parent was raised one way. The other was on the receiving end of a completely different approach. It's pointless to argue over which "culture" you and your spouse ought to adopt. Rather expend your energy extracting from each culture what will work for you. From there you can assess if these approaches are in sync with current<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_268d777f517448429191879645b66e18%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_268d777f517448429191879645b66e18%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/03/17/What-to-Do-When-Your-Parenting-Styles-Clash</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/03/17/What-to-Do-When-Your-Parenting-Styles-Clash</guid><pubDate>Fri, 17 Mar 2017 02:26:07 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_268d777f517448429191879645b66e18~mv2.png"/><div>Do you and your partner differ on your approach to parenting? Hans Kelder of <a href="http://www.hobartmarriagecounselling.com.au/">Hobart Marriage Counselling</a> reflects that couples come from different family cultures. One parent was raised one way. The other was on the receiving end of a completely different approach. It's pointless to argue over which &quot;culture&quot; you and your spouse ought to adopt. Rather expend your energy extracting from each culture what will work for you. From there you can assess if these approaches are in sync with current understanding of infant and child development. There has been (most likely) 30 years of research done in between the time you were little and your own brood of hatchlings were born. One of the areas of research that has exploded in that amount of time is neuroscience. Our understanding of brain development and how it links to our physical bodies and emotional experiences and MORE has direct impact on our approach to parenting. It causes us to stop and pause before we react to our children's behaviour, knowing that there is a lot going on under the surface that we cannot see. It means we have to use our detective skills to discover problems when our toddlers don't yet have the words or the skills to communicate what is upsetting them.  Show each other a measure of patience and grace as you transition to this new family culture. Each of you will slip back to what you know over and over again. Don't beat yourself up about it. Catch yourself in the moment: &quot;Oh, there I go again. I sound just like my mother! Ha. Ok. Let me take a step back and think this through.&quot; A Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions coach would be a great way to bring in a third party to help you and your partner have those conversations and determine a way forward that both of you would be happy to pursue. Book your FREE 20 minute consulatation here: <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Smooth Mornings with Routine Cards and Music</title><description><![CDATA[Little ones thrive with having a rhythm to their day. They feel a sense of comfort in knowing what comes next and when. When you request that they put their socks and shoes on because it's time to go, the likelihood of a meltdown is minimal because they are expecting it. From very early on, you can use visual aids to prompt routine activities throughout the day. Our family uses the routine cards from Be A Fun Mum. You can download them here:<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_ef075ed4a62a4b4a989da6c91ee2fe79%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_ef075ed4a62a4b4a989da6c91ee2fe79%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/03/16/Smooth-Mornings-with-Routine-Cards-and-Music</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/03/16/Smooth-Mornings-with-Routine-Cards-and-Music</guid><pubDate>Thu, 16 Mar 2017 02:27:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_ef075ed4a62a4b4a989da6c91ee2fe79~mv2.png"/><div>Little ones thrive with having a rhythm to their day. They feel a sense of comfort in knowing what comes next and when. When you request that they put their socks and shoes on because it's time to go, the likelihood of a meltdown is minimal because they are expecting it. From very early on, you can use visual aids to prompt routine activities throughout the day. Our family uses the routine cards from Be A Fun Mum. You can download them here: <a href="http://www.beafunmum.com/2016/01/routine-cards-morning-and-afternoon/">www.beafunmum.com/2016/01/routine-cards-morning-and-afternoon/</a> For a useful resource about creating daily rhythms accompanied by handy printables: head over and visit The Military Wife and Mom's downloads page: http://shop.themilitarywifeandmom.com/ Apart from visual cues, there are also audio cues that you can use. Have a morning playlist. Your kids will learn that they have one song to do each routine activity. When the &quot;Wake Up&quot; song is all done, they'll know it's time to go get dressed during the next song. Playtivities has used this method with great success. <a href="http://www.playtivities.com/morning-routine-for-kids/">www.playtivities.com/morning-routine-for-kids/</a> Fred Rogers Center created this handy app &quot;Everyday Grooves&quot; to do this very thing. Transitioning children through their daily activities using fun songs which are also easy on the adult ear. Learn more here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFU_t46dGXE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFU_t46dGXE</a> --- These are all personal recommendations and we are not compensated for mentioning these resources. Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions owner, Christine Jolly, uses all of the above tools in her own family. If you would like help in setting up a daily rhythm for your own family, get in touch. Visit <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">www.cradle2kindy.com.au</a> and set up a <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/book-online">FREE consult booking</a>.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Who Influences Your Parenting?</title><description><![CDATA["I sound just like my mother!" "The Superhero Parent Whisperer does it that way." "Everyone at mums group has decided that dummies are not an option." You are influenced by a multitude of channels of thought on how you ought to parent. Ultimately it's up to you. Which voices will you listen to and which will you mute? PASTPretend you are holding a newborn? How are you holding the baby? Snuggled against your shoulder? Cradled in your arms? Slung over your arm and patting the baby's back? Chances<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_4834c6f83c124fc49d3b60afa0beb30f%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_4834c6f83c124fc49d3b60afa0beb30f%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/03/02/Who-Influences-Your-Parenting</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/03/02/Who-Influences-Your-Parenting</guid><pubDate>Thu, 02 Mar 2017 03:01:19 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_4834c6f83c124fc49d3b60afa0beb30f~mv2.png"/><div>&quot;I sound just like my mother!&quot; &quot;The Superhero Parent Whisperer does it that way.&quot; &quot;Everyone at mums group has decided that dummies are not an option.&quot; You are influenced by a multitude of channels of thought on how you ought to parent. Ultimately it's up to you. Which voices will you listen to and which will you mute?PAST</div><div>Pretend you are holding a newborn? How are you holding the baby? Snuggled against your shoulder? Cradled in your arms? Slung over your arm and patting the baby's back? Chances are the manner in which you are holding the newborn is the exact same way you were held as a baby. Whether we like it or not, the way our mums and dads chose to parent us influences the parent we are today. You will slip into sounding like your dad ... but being your dad is not your destiny. You choose which styles and methods you want to embrace from your own upbringing and you decide which you are happy to let go of. You are destined to be YOUR kid's parent.PARTNER</div><div>You and your partner both come from different parenting cultures. You were parented one way and he or she was parented another. Now you need to work together to form your OWN parenting culture. It won't work if you attempt to force your partner to embrace your past family culture. You must compromise and determine what works best for the two of you AND your little ones. Each family culture is unique. Make it your own.PEERS</div><div>Your neighbour, Cheryl, might be completely cool with her children jumping from a tree onto an old mattress below. At mothers group everyone seems to have embraced a particular author as THE way to parent. Your sister has chosen to feed her children only organic fruit and vegetables. You choose the way that fits best with you and your family.POPULAR IDEAS</div><div>Television, magazines, blogs, movies all influence our parenting. Some parenting options are so ingrained in our society that we no longer question them. How many women giving birth on TV are lying on a bed with their knees in the air, sweating and screaming their heads off? How did that fit with your own experience? Does that fit with current best practice in birthing suites? And yet it still persists in the media. Do your research and don't get sucked in to whatever is popular or accepted at any given time. Each area of influence in your life as a parent will deliver messages to you that you can choose to accept or let go of. You do not have to repeat the past mistakes of your parents. Mindfully let go of any ideas that do not fit with your own parenting choices. Be confident in your choices and don't let others' choices make you feel guilty. They have made their own choices that suit them and their families. Be purposeful about the choices you make as a parent. Don't just slip into neutral. Stop and pause. How do I want to be the best parent I can be in this situation? Your self-talk might go something like this,</div><div>&quot;I'm not going to yell at my toddler right now. He is having a hard time. I will hold him and help him through his feelings. Then we will clean up this mess together and we'll talk about what we could do differently next time.&quot; You may be influenced by a myriad of voices, but ultimately you make the choice. What sort of parent do you want to be? To boost your confidence, get in touch with a Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions coach. They will help you sift through life's messages and help you decide which messages you want to embrace and which to let go of.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Avoid Playdate Sharing Drama</title><description><![CDATA[You've read all the current literature about sharing and age-appropriate responses. But there is still DRAMA! Your little one has decided that ALL the toys in the house are "special" and promptly removes them from her playmates' hands. Here's a simple tip to help bring the drama levels down: Adjust your approach to toy ownership. When grandma and grandpa bring a gift for your children, that gift is your child's. When you give your little girl a special dolly for her birthday, that is hers. But<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_9f6fca777ee74e89a95d7c24995c65da%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_9f6fca777ee74e89a95d7c24995c65da%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/02/21/Avoid-Playdate-Sharing-Drama</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/02/21/Avoid-Playdate-Sharing-Drama</guid><pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2017 03:55:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_9f6fca777ee74e89a95d7c24995c65da~mv2.png"/><div>You've read all the current literature about sharing and age-appropriate responses. But there is still DRAMA! Your little one has decided that ALL the toys in the house are &quot;special&quot; and promptly removes them from her playmates' hands. Here's a simple tip to help bring the drama levels down: Adjust your approach to toy ownership. When grandma and grandpa bring a gift for your children, that gift is your child's. When you give your little girl a special dolly for her birthday, that is hers. But all general toys that you purchase or build for your family to enjoy, belong to mum and dad. It is up to you whether you decide to be generous with *your* toys and playthings when a visiting child has come to play. You model to your own children your eagerness to share YOUR possessions with them. Your child may take your cue and share her special dolly or super-cool Lego set from grandpa ... or not. That is her choice. Just as it is your choice to share *your* Magna-Tiles, dress-ups, blocks, animals and toy kitchen and playdough tools with your visitor. In fact, it is up to YOU whether or not you share YOUR toys with your own children. Your generosity will inspire them, as well as, teach them responsibility for looking after and showing care for someone else's belongings. For more ideas on how to model friendly social behaviour to your children, get in touch with Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions. Contact us at <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au">www.cradle2kindy.com.au</a> to chat to a parenting coach about how you can inspire your own children.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Now There Are Two</title><description><![CDATA["I've done this once before," you think. "Surely it can't be that much different the second time around." But now you have TWO little ones with competing needs and emotions, both vying for your attention and time. Not to mention your partner and friends. • Relax and Slow Down: Things are different now. Give yourself permission to accept that. You have physical, mental and emotional limits. Prioritise the times your baby and toddler need you: feeding, eating, bathing/changing nappies and<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_9a48ada6c4e64fb9b850a5be99628b2f%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_9a48ada6c4e64fb9b850a5be99628b2f%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/02/11/Now-There-Are-Two</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/02/11/Now-There-Are-Two</guid><pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2017 04:53:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_9a48ada6c4e64fb9b850a5be99628b2f~mv2.png"/><div>&quot;I've done this once before,&quot; you think. &quot;Surely it can't be that much different the second time around.&quot; But now you have TWO little ones with competing needs and emotions, both vying for your attention and time. Not to mention your partner and friends. • Relax and Slow Down: Things are different now. Give yourself permission to accept that. You have physical, mental and emotional limits. Prioritise the times your baby and toddler need you: feeding, eating, bathing/changing nappies and preparing for sleep. Give them your full attention by nurturing them during those moments. Take your time and connect during these times, leave your phone downstairs, keep eye contact, smile and sing a song or do a finger rhyme together. Don't rush these moments (even if there IS poo all up their back). These are times when your babies and toddlers NEED you. Be all in and there for them. Focused nurturing will fill their cups with your love. Outside of those nurturing times, give your little ones some independent time in a &quot;yes&quot; place and fill your own cup. • Create a Rhythm to Your Day: You and your baby and toddler will thrive under the predictability of a daily rhythm. While we may be aware of the mantra 'eat, play, sleep' with our babies, our toddlers, too, want the comfort of knowing what to expect and what comes next. They want to know that after you help baby fall asleep, you'll make morning tea together and do a puzzle together before the baby wakes for a feed. During this season, you might need to simplify your day ... eliminate those multiple outings ... opting instead for quality time during the day at home and outside in the back yard or nearby playground. • Respond Rather than React: Your toddler will have needs and emotions that need to be met. He may sense that not only is your attention divided but also your love for him. He may communicate this to you through his behaviour--shouting, banging, hitting, screaming, pushing, pulling. Learn to see below the surface to the bulk of the iceberg beneath. &quot;I see you banging that pot. You want my attention, don't you. When I finish helping our baby get ready to sleep, I can't wait to make some music with you.&quot; You don't have to have it all figured out. You have physical, mental and emotional limitations. It is not your job to keep everyone 100% happy all the time, especially if your own emotional well-being is depleted. Look after yourself. You know you can always get in touch with a parent coach at Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions to help you implement the above strategies. Visit us at www.cradle2kindy.com.au</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Change Time Struggles</title><description><![CDATA[There are times during the day when our babies need us. Those times are vital for their survival and thriving. Those times include feeding, bathing, preparing for sleep ... and changing nappies. Those four times are prime times for us to nurture our little ones, giving them our undivided attention and love. But how does one nurture a struggling, shrieking octopus with a dirty nappy?! First, if possible, wait for your baby to be finished with whichever activity they were doing at the time. Then<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_21d3b257f0854c20aaaf846e7911a3b0%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_21d3b257f0854c20aaaf846e7911a3b0%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/01/10/Change-Time-Struggles</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2017/01/10/Change-Time-Struggles</guid><pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2017 04:54:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_21d3b257f0854c20aaaf846e7911a3b0~mv2.png"/><div>There are times during the day when our babies need us. Those times are vital for their survival and thriving. Those times include feeding, bathing, preparing for sleep ... and changing nappies. Those four times are prime times for us to nurture our little ones, giving them our undivided attention and love. But how does one nurture a struggling, shrieking octopus with a dirty nappy?! First, if possible, wait for your baby to be finished with whichever activity they were doing at the time. Then remove you and the baby from all distractions. Talk to your little baby about what the two of you are about to do. &quot;Oh sweetie, I can smell your nappy. It's time to give you a fresh nappy. Let's go together.&quot; Put your hands out for your baby as an invitation to be carried. If you do not have a designated space for nappy changes, head to a bedroom and place a change mat on the bed. Turn your phone on silent. Take the opportunity to make this time about the two of you connecting not just fixing a dirty deed. Before removing any clothing you might like to even sing a song or do a finger play song together or play This Little Piggie with their toes. Remember, this time is about connection and nurturing. Take your time. Next, communicate what you are about to do together. &quot;Ok, let's take your pants off and get started. We've got a clean fresh nappy here and some wipes. I need you to lie still for me and I'll clean your bottom.&quot; If you find that your little one's wiggling too much even before the nappy has come off, communicate that you cannot do your job until your baby has done theirs. &quot;I'll wait till you are still. Then, I take off your nappy.&quot; Stay calm, nurturing and connected during this time. &quot;There now, are you finished wiggling around? Great! Now I can take off your nappy? Here we go. Oh, isn't that much better when I use the wipe to clean off the dirty bits? Nice and fresh. Let me just roll you over on your side while I make sure your back is all clean. Excellent. Here's the new nappy! Ready? Let's just slip it under your bottom like this and fasten the sides. Beautiful. We did it together, you and I. Go team! Let's just get your pants back on and we're ready to go.&quot; Put your arms out for an invitation to be held and give each other a high five or a cuddle. Why are we talking so much to our baby who can't even talk?! Ha ha. You KNOW infants understand their routine and our body language and tone of voice before they even begin to understand words or express themselves using words. Don't we ask our dogs if they would like to go for a walk? After this time of nurturing and meeting our baby's needs, the little one's cup is full of love and attention. This might be a great time to return the baby to his or her play in a safe place and make yourself a cuppa. For more about routines and nurturing your baby, contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions to discuss how we can help you thrive as a parent of young children.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Setting Limits</title><description><![CDATA[HELP: "I've followed all the expert advice and have taken a calm and firm approach with my 4 year old daughter, setting boundaries in a loving way. But she STILL has tantrums and meltdowns." Being four is an exciting time for your daughter. She is growing in confidence and a multitude of abilities every day. Laying loving boundaries down for her will help her flourish. Her need for autonomy and independence will push those boundaries, however. Be there for her in the moments. You might take the<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_df9b81a313dd402d97590c238f3b1280%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_df9b81a313dd402d97590c238f3b1280%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/23/Setting-Limits</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/23/Setting-Limits</guid><pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2016 04:56:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_df9b81a313dd402d97590c238f3b1280~mv2.png"/><div>HELP: &quot;I've followed all the expert advice and have taken a calm and firm approach with my 4 year old daughter, setting boundaries in a loving way. But she STILL has tantrums and meltdowns.&quot; Being four is an exciting time for your daughter. She is growing in confidence and a multitude of abilities every day. Laying loving boundaries down for her will help her flourish. Her need for autonomy and independence will push those boundaries, however. Be there for her in the moments. You might take the following approach with your daughter: &quot;You didn't like what I had to say, did you? I can tell by how loud your voice is and you feel like you need to throw things. When you are ready, I am here for you. I will not let you hurt yourself or anyone or anything else. You are safe with me.&quot; If your four year old has lost control of her emotions and body, be there to keep her from hurting herself and others. Removing her firmly but gently and respectfully from the room might help achieve some calm as the environment might be exacerbating her emotional response to the situation. Sit with her, if she wants, until she has calmed down and would like to talk it through. Obviously there's always a myriad of factors at play. Being firm and gentle and respectful is always the go, however. While she is settling down, take that time to determine what factors are at play. What caused the emotional outburst? Is she hungry or tired? Is her emotions tank on empty? Does something seem unjust to her? Does she crave autonomy and independence? How can you help her achieve that within the boundaries you have already laid down? etc. Don't pester with questions. Just quietly look for clues that might help you understand her response to your limits. Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions is here to help you on your parenting journey. We know you want to be the best parent you can be with your children, raising emotionally healthy and resilient young people. We are here to help you do that. Get in touch today or visit www.cradle2kindy.com.au</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A Personal Time Out</title><description><![CDATA[Being the primary carer for your child is draining—mentally, emotionally and physically. If your little one’s behaviour is indicating that they have big feelings and needs that they don’t know how to control or fix … and your own energy levels are depleted leaving you short of the ability to control your own response … you might need a Time Out. Yes, a moment away from the entire situation. Time and space to yourself to fill your cup and energise you for the task ahead. What?! But isn’t that<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_3dcf0c4fd4d742e98c2454ac1ac2ed18%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_3dcf0c4fd4d742e98c2454ac1ac2ed18%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/26/A-Personal-Time-Out</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/26/A-Personal-Time-Out</guid><pubDate>Tue, 06 Dec 2016 05:00:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_3dcf0c4fd4d742e98c2454ac1ac2ed18~mv2.png"/><div>Being the primary carer for your child is draining—mentally, emotionally and physically. If your little one’s behaviour is indicating that they have big feelings and needs that they don’t know how to control or fix … and your own energy levels are depleted leaving you short of the ability to control your own response … you might need a Time Out. Yes, a moment away from the entire situation. Time and space to yourself to fill your cup and energise you for the task ahead. What?! But isn’t that when my baby/child needs me the most? Yes, but they need you at your best. If you’re not able to meet their emotional or physical needs because your own wellbeing is diminished … do as they do in an aeroplane emergency. Put on your own oxygen mask first and breathe in the oxygen. Then attend to your child. Otherwise your lack of control might cause more damage to yours and your little one’s wellbeing. Make sure your child is in a safe place and then grant yourself what you need to come back to them fuelled with love and respect and peace-of-mind. You might simply lie down on your bedroom floor breathing in deeply for two minutes. You might close your bedroom door and turn on some music that meets your emotions just where they’re at. One song might be enough to pump you up. You might call a friend or family member. Praying is a wonderful way to help lift your load. You have big emotions and needs, too. They are *just* as important and valid as your little one's emotions and needs. Be the best parent you can be by looking after yourself. Don't forget to share your ideas for a personal Time Out in the comments below. A Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions coach can work with you to help achieve a healthy balance in your home life. Get in touch today.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Family Traditions Without the Guilt</title><description><![CDATA[Our own childhood memories and our perception of what other families might do during the holidays contribute to holiday-induced parent guilt. Am I doing enough? Am I creating magical memories that my children will cherish forever? Can I ever live up to my mother-in-law's elaborate traditions? My Pintrest board is full of ideas that I'll never ever actually do. We've all been there. Hundreds of years ago, the Catholic church actually banned the celebration of Christmas because of the hype opting<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_1bfec7ccc6a84757a0b67fa8a4a4c900%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_1bfec7ccc6a84757a0b67fa8a4a4c900%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/03/Family-Traditions-Without-the-Guilt</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/03/Family-Traditions-Without-the-Guilt</guid><pubDate>Sat, 03 Dec 2016 04:57:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_1bfec7ccc6a84757a0b67fa8a4a4c900~mv2.png"/><div>Our own childhood memories and our perception of what other families might do during the holidays contribute to holiday-induced parent guilt. Am I doing enough? Am I creating magical memories that my children will cherish forever? Can I ever live up to my mother-in-law's elaborate traditions? My Pintrest board is full of ideas that I'll never ever actually do. We've all been there. Hundreds of years ago, the Catholic church actually banned the celebration of Christmas because of the hype opting instead for a season of reflection. Short of banning the holiday from your household, let's take a step back and enjoy our family and use the days and few short weeks leading up to the end of the year to slow down and reflect. I am hereby releasing you of your holiday parent guilt and giving you permission to: • Say no to a handful of those social invitations and opt instead for an evening in to play a board game or watch a movie together. • Swap the focus from receiving to giving. Beyond reading the original Christian story of God giving his son to the world, read together the origin story of St. Nicholas. He was known for giving secret gifts to those who really needed it--one time freeing three daughters of a merchant from being taken into prostitution by secretly giving money to the family. Concentrate on things people NEED, like St. Nicholas ... who was actually quite a bad-ass known for hitting a man in the face who he disagreed with on a matter of doctrine. (Where does that fall on the naughty or nice list?) Keep the gifts simple and ones of quality over quantity. We all know that kids love the boxes more than the actual gift. Involve them in the giving of gifts process, allowing them to help select and wrap gifts for friends and family. • Keep your traditions to a sustainable, joy-filled level. Are you preparing elaborate feasts for your family of 4 and your children are happy to only eat a bread roll and a bite of chicken? This would rightly cause the most earnest of parents to crumble in distress. During the early years, keep things simple. Simple meals, simple ornaments, simple traditions. And as the kids get older, let them lead on adding one new thing each year. And remember, your mother-in-law had 30 years to build her elaborate traditions one ornament at a time.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mindful Walking</title><description><![CDATA[Being the primary carer for a little one is mentally, physically and emotionally taxing. Be sure to look after your own wellbeing so you are mentally, emotional and physically strong enough to care for your little one. My favourite way of boosting my mental health when feeling mentally, emotionally and physically drained is Mindful Walking. You can do it anywhere and at anytime. All it takes is 3 minutes. What is Mindful Walking? Focusing your attention solely on the act of breathing and<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_f53f50c7ea1d4fc58e53572090bece46%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_f53f50c7ea1d4fc58e53572090bece46%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/02/Mindful-Walking</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/02/Mindful-Walking</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2016 05:03:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_f53f50c7ea1d4fc58e53572090bece46~mv2.png"/><div>Being the primary carer for a little one is mentally, physically and emotionally taxing. Be sure to look after your own wellbeing so you are mentally, emotional and physically strong enough to care for your little one. My favourite way of boosting my mental health when feeling mentally, emotionally and physically drained is Mindful Walking. You can do it anywhere and at anytime. All it takes is 3 minutes. What is Mindful Walking? Focusing your attention solely on the act of breathing and walking. Letting all other thoughts and worries slip away for a limited time. How to do Mindful Walking: Focus your breathing over three breaths. Then step out with one foot while breathing in. Breathe out as you step out with the other. As simple as that! Two rules to remember: 1. Do not walk too briskly, as this will cause rapid breathing. I don’t want you to pass out from hyperventilating! Slow purposeful steps to a normal pace are what you are aiming for. 2. Keep your eyes open! ha ha Not only does it get you outdoors for some fresh air, but you can do it with your little one. Walk in this way for a mere 3-5 minutes and you will feel reviatalised. You can walk in this way for as long as you like. Even 1 minute will yield benefits to your wellbeing. For other ideas on how to look after your own wellbeing, contact Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions to discover ways we can help you be the best parent for your little one.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Body Awareness Helps to Manage Big Feelings</title><description><![CDATA[Just as you might use words to help little ones understand their big emotions. Use words to help little ones tie their feelings to their bodies. Becoming more aware of how their bodies respond to big emotions will help them notice and regulate them as they sense their body reacting. “Oh, your body feels very stiff. Look at your hands. They are clenched into fists. That lets me know that you are feeling upset.” “How does your heart feel? I can feel it beating very fast. That fall must have scared<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_1fc5fd27495f4aeb81933be15ca2850b%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_1fc5fd27495f4aeb81933be15ca2850b%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/01/Body-Awareness-Helps-to-Manage-Big-Feelings</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/01/Body-Awareness-Helps-to-Manage-Big-Feelings</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Dec 2016 05:07:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_1fc5fd27495f4aeb81933be15ca2850b~mv2.png"/><div>Just as you might use words to help little ones understand their big emotions. Use words to help little ones tie their feelings to their bodies. Becoming more aware of how their bodies respond to big emotions will help them notice and regulate them as they sense their body reacting. “Oh, your body feels very stiff. Look at your hands. They are clenched into fists. That lets me know that you are feeling upset.” “How does your heart feel? I can feel it beating very fast. That fall must have scared you a bit.” “Your face is a bit red and feels hot. I can tell you must feel angry.” We might find statements like this incredibly banal and condescending. But for little ones their brains are only just beginning to make those neural connections, growing to understand how their bodies are tied to their minds and emotions. Noticing their bodies reactions will help them eventually stop and pause. “Wait, my neck is feeling tight. This has really upset me. I need to move away from this situation and calm down.” As grown ups, we too, can work harder towards noticing these connections and improve our parenting skills by responding to our own big emotions with calm reason. Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions is here to help you become the best parent you can be. Message us today to discover ways we can partner with you in your parenting journey.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Working Through Big Feelings</title><description><![CDATA[Teach your little ones to work through their big feelings by showing them empathy. Simple acknowledgements like: “If my friend did that, I’d be angry, too.” “I would be frustrated, too, if that happened to me.” “I know it’s hard when …” This will help de-escalate the tension they are feeling as they become aware that they are not the only one who carries this burden. Their parent understands how they feel. They have experienced it too. And their world didn’t end. Slowly but surely they will<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_3a1a318abec14d5690514e0c9e9cf63a%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_3a1a318abec14d5690514e0c9e9cf63a%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/01/Working-Through-Big-Feelings</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/12/01/Working-Through-Big-Feelings</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Dec 2016 04:59:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_3a1a318abec14d5690514e0c9e9cf63a~mv2.png"/><div>Teach your little ones to work through their big feelings by showing them empathy. Simple acknowledgements like: “If my friend did that, I’d be angry, too.” “I would be frustrated, too, if that happened to me.” “I know it’s hard when …” This will help de-escalate the tension they are feeling as they become aware that they are not the only one who carries this burden. Their parent understands how they feel. They have experienced it too. And their world didn’t end. Slowly but surely they will become more resilient, understanding that big feelings happen but they can work through them and grow from them and come out the other side stronger. In a similar way, when we feel like our worlds are crumbling around us we need to be comforted by someone who understands. We might be running late for work, forgot an important document, spilt coffee on our shirt, overheard some bad news, burned dinner. When we pick up the phone to call a friend at the end of the day to unload, do we want a lecture about how we ought to really be more organised and told our life is a disaster? How do we think about ourselves, that relationship, our place in the world in that moment? There. You DO understand how your little one feels. Respond to them in the same way you would want a good friend to come alongside you, remind you that the world is messed up sometimes, we will do better next time, and offer to help in any way they can. “Need me to bring over some pizza?” No one wants their little one to feel like a loser, unsure of our love for them or unsafe and fearful of the world around them. To get help in implementing some of these parenting strategies in your own family, get in touch with Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions. We offer in-home coaching, group presentations, ebooks and long distance coaching for interstate or overseas families.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Language Skills Help Regulate Big Feelings</title><description><![CDATA[Babies, toddlers and even young children are unable to put into words their feelings and needs, much less manage them. We find this unthinkable. We feel hungry. We make a sandwich. We feel sad. We find someone to talk to. We are tired. We put ourselves to bed. They may not have the vocabulary, but our little one’s behaviour communicates to us those feelings and needs that are lying under the surface. To become emotionally mature, children must learn to acknowledge those feelings and meet those<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_4bbfccdcd7d74168a06231890c609626%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_4bbfccdcd7d74168a06231890c609626%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/30/Language-Skills-Help-Regulate-Big-Feelings</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/30/Language-Skills-Help-Regulate-Big-Feelings</guid><pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov 2016 05:05:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_4bbfccdcd7d74168a06231890c609626~mv2.png"/><div>Babies, toddlers and even young children are unable to put into words their feelings and needs, much less manage them. We find this unthinkable. We feel hungry. We make a sandwich. We feel sad. We find someone to talk to. We are tired. We put ourselves to bed. They may not have the vocabulary, but our little one’s behaviour communicates to us those feelings and needs that are lying under the surface. To become emotionally mature, children must learn to acknowledge those feelings and meet those needs so they can thrive. But this is a learned skill. This is where we, as parents, come in. Give your young ones the words they need by labelling the emotions or needs. Notice the behaviour and tie it to the feeling or need. You are helping them connect the dots. Young ones often *don’t know* why they react the way they do. They lack the self control to monitor the connection between a need and behaviour. “Hmm, you’re rubbing your eyes. It looks like you are tired.” or “Your voice is very loud. I can hear how upset you are.” A small child will feel sweet relief. “Yes! Yes, that’s it! I am tired. Daddy understands. He will help me.” “Mummy hears me. She sees me. She knows how I am feeling. She will help me. I don’t know how to fix this.” Being able to pass on these skills takes love, commitment and time. Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions is here to help you become the best parent you can be. Let us help you raise confident young people who will go out and make the world a better place.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Engage Big Feelings with Your Whole Body</title><description><![CDATA[A child comes to you with strong feelings. We must help them learn to work through these emotions as it does not come naturally to young ones. Developing self-regulation is a learned response that takes time and practice for little people. You can help them by using your whole body. • Stop all other activity. This requires your full concentration. • Lower yourself to be on their level. You are now *with* them and not *over* them. • Keep eye contact with your child. Communicate with your eyes<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_c4115fbe0ba4432fb921d3bffa69de13%7Emv2.png/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_c4115fbe0ba4432fb921d3bffa69de13%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/29/Engage-Big-Feelings-with-Your-Whole-Body</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/29/Engage-Big-Feelings-with-Your-Whole-Body</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2016 05:08:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_c4115fbe0ba4432fb921d3bffa69de13~mv2.png"/><div>A child comes to you with strong feelings. We must help them learn to work through these emotions as it does not come naturally to young ones. Developing self-regulation is a learned response that takes time and practice for little people. You can help them by using your whole body. • Stop all other activity. This requires your full concentration. • Lower yourself to be on their level. You are now *with* them and not *over* them. • Keep eye contact with your child. Communicate with your eyes that they have your focus and that you see their feelings are so big that they have come to you for help to carry their load. • Use your voice to regulate the moment. A low volume, firm and loving voice can deescalate a high-pitched wail of helplessness from your little one. You are in control. You can help them be in control, too. A Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions coach can come to your home and experience life with you over three hours and affirm that you are the best parent for your child. Together you can explore tools that will strengthen your resolve to care for and nurture your children in ways that you are confident are for both yours and their best interest.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Help Manage Strong Emotions Through Modelling</title><description><![CDATA[It is our role to help our babies, toddlers and young children learn to manage their own emotions. One way that we do this is to model to them how we ourselves cope with their own strong feelings.A toddling baby falls down and bumps their head on the side of the sofa. They look to you to see how they should respond.Baby is thinking, “Does mum look worried? Is she freaking out? No. She is looking at me and holding out her arms. I’ll be ok. But I do need a cuddle. It hurt and scared me a little<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_76514ba4db1e43b6b947cfdae31ad4a1%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/28/Help-Manage-Strong-Emotions-Through-Modelling</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/28/Help-Manage-Strong-Emotions-Through-Modelling</guid><pubDate>Sun, 27 Nov 2016 22:27:50 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_7f8ed94e6b394424ab21107140521b44~mv2.jpg"/><div>It is our role to help our babies, toddlers and young children learn to manage their own emotions. One way that we do this is to model to them how we ourselves cope with their own strong feelings.</div><div>A toddling baby falls down and bumps their head on the side of the sofa. They look to you to see how they should respond.</div><div>Baby is thinking, “Does mum look worried? Is she freaking out? No. She is looking at me and holding out her arms. I’ll be ok. But I do need a cuddle. It hurt and scared me a little bit.”</div><div>Mum waits for baby to come to her, holds baby close and says out loud, “Oh sweetie. You are so brave. I saw that bump. It might have scared you a bit when you fell. But I can see that you are ok.”</div><div>A baby can learn to trust their world is not falling to pieces by seeing our facial expression, hearing our tone of voice and observing our own body language. Even as a newborn.</div><div>They will grow to become resilient and emotionally mature with our help and guidance.</div><div>If you would like to know more about how you can guide your young child to become resilient, message <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au">Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions</a> at <a href="mailto:admin@cradle2kindy.com.au?subject=">admin@cradle2kindy.com.au</a>. We will work with you to raise confident, kind and resilient individuals.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Influencing Your Child's Self Talk</title><description><![CDATA[Think back to a time when you messed up. Someone in authority reacted harshly. Remember those feelings and thoughts you had in the moment. How did you feel about yourself, your relationship to that person, your place in the world?Remember, our kids carry those same feelings and thoughts. Let's become more mindful in our approach.Ask yourself these three questions? Based on my response to my child's behaviour, 1. How do they think about themselves? 2. How do they think about our relationship? 3.<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_76514ba4db1e43b6b947cfdae31ad4a1%7Emv2.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/25/Influencing-Your-Childs-Self-Talk</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/25/Influencing-Your-Childs-Self-Talk</guid><pubDate>Fri, 25 Nov 2016 01:26:24 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_76514ba4db1e43b6b947cfdae31ad4a1~mv2.png"/><div>Think back to a time when you messed up. Someone in authority reacted harshly. Remember those feelings and thoughts you had in the moment. How did you feel about yourself, your relationship to that person, your place in the world?</div><div>Remember, our kids carry those same feelings and thoughts. Let's become more mindful in our approach.</div><div>Ask yourself these three questions? Based on my response to my child's behaviour, 1. How do they think about themselves? 2. How do they think about our relationship? 3. How do they think about the world and their place in it?</div><div>A sharp, harsh, punitive response will likely generate self-doubt and the feeling of being unsafe.</div><div>A firm, calm and guiding approach will solidify in a child's mind that even when they mess up they are loved. A trust that they can do better next time. A feeling that even though the world is big and wonderful and sometimes a little scary, they are not alone. We have their backs and will walk through the world with them.</div><div>Do you need a little help developing these skills as a parent? It's not easy. Especially if your own parents had a different approach. Email Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions at <a href="mailto:admin@cradle2kindy.com.au?subject=">admin@cradle2kindy.com.au</a> and we can work together to help you raise wonderful people who will go out into the world with confidence that they are loved and they can achieve amazing things.</div><div>Save</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is Coddling a Child Rewarding Bad Behaviour?</title><description><![CDATA[A toddler bites her friend when he won't share the toy she desires. A baby throws his food on the floor. A preschooler draws on her bedroom wall.Depending on your own upbringing, many parents might utilize a time out or sharp tap on the hand followed by a stern "No!" or simply resort to distraction to deal with the behaviour.The last thing we feel like doing is bringing the offending youngster in for a cuddle. Isn't coddling just rewarding the bad behaviour?Babies, toddlers and young children do<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_994657a9eb694eb88043e9ad1f5a52ea%7Emv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_626%2Ch_525/b5684f_994657a9eb694eb88043e9ad1f5a52ea%7Emv2.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Christine Jolly</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/24/Is-Coddling-a-Child-Rewarding-Bad-Behaviour</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2016/11/24/Is-Coddling-a-Child-Rewarding-Bad-Behaviour</guid><pubDate>Thu, 24 Nov 2016 02:31:59 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_994657a9eb694eb88043e9ad1f5a52ea~mv2.jpg"/><div>A toddler bites her friend when he won't share the toy she desires. A baby throws his food on the floor. A preschooler draws on her bedroom wall.</div><div>Depending on your own upbringing, many parents might utilize a time out or sharp tap on the hand followed by a stern &quot;No!&quot; or simply resort to distraction to deal with the behaviour.</div><div>The last thing we feel like doing is bringing the offending youngster in for a cuddle. Isn't coddling just rewarding the bad behaviour?</div><div>Babies, toddlers and young children do not know how to use their words to let us know what they are feeling or needing at any given time. A baby will cry to let us know she needs sustenance. A toddler will hit when she feels misunderstood or needs attention. A preschooler will have a tantrum when she is experiencing so many feelings and unfulfilled needs that she can't control herself.</div><div>The behaviour is merely the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface are all the feelings and needs that causing the behaviour.</div><div>As the adult, it is our task to provide safe and firm, loving boundaries around our children. We are their teacher, their safe space to make mistakes and learn. When they venture out from us and explore the world they feel confident that we have shown them the way to go forward. And when they need us, we draw them in close to give them what they need. Like a rubber band stretching out and coming back in.</div><div>Young children need our loving, calm approach to teach them how to manage their emotions and upsets and how to communicate their needs.</div><div>Start today, by lowering the volume and tone of your voice. Get on your child's eye level and let them experience your safe, unconditional soft touch. They messed up. You will help them fix it and learn from their mistake. They will mess up again. You will acknowledge their feelings and needs and provide a firm, consistent boundary for their own and others' safety.</div><div>You are not rewarding them.</div><div>You are showing them how to grow emotionally and become resilient and independent. Teaching them what is safe and harmful.</div><div>You, too, will mess up. Model for them that you can bounce back from your own mistakes and learn from them. Apologise to your young children and allow them to show you the same unconditional love you have demonstrated to them over and over again.</div><div>Email <a href="http://www.cradle2kindy.com.au">Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions</a> at <a href="mailto:admin@cradle2kindy.com.au?subject=">admin@cradle2kindy.com.au</a> today to learn how we can help you approach your little one's behaviour in a manner that they have a better understanding of themselves, their relationship with you and the world. Let us help you grow amazing people that will do amazing things.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Benefits of Pets for Children</title><description><![CDATA[Pets and children can share a remarkable relationship–there is something extraordinary about the bond that develops between a child and their special playmate. Apart from companionship, there are many other benefits for children sharing their lives with a pet. Pets teach responsibilityChildren learn responsibility by helping with the caretaking of a pet. They learn about the requirements of a living being- such as food, water and exercise. Fish are a great first pet because it is easy to give<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/127f4981c7ba86de25ceabeff83a5a62.png"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Dr Katrina</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2014/07/30/Benefits-of-Pets-for-Children-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2014/07/30/Benefits-of-Pets-for-Children-1</guid><pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 2014 08:54:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/127f4981c7ba86de25ceabeff83a5a62.png"/><div>Pets and children can share a remarkable relationship–there is something extraordinary about the bond that develops between a child and their special playmate. Apart from companionship, there are many other benefits for children sharing their lives with a pet.</div><div>Pets teach responsibility</div><div>Children learn responsibility by helping with the caretaking of a pet. They learn about the requirements of a living being- such as food, water and exercise.</div><div>Fish are a great first pet because it is easy to give children and active role in feeding them. Pets that require more attention, like a cat or dog, can present an ideal opportunity for parent and child to spend time together doing activities such as walking the dog or preparing the food.</div><div>Pets are a friend to children</div><div>Children turn to pets when they need a friend, confidante or protector. In fact, studies have shown that pets often hold a similar status in children's lives to parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles, teachers, best friends, and childminders. The study found that dogs, in particular, often superseded humans as a child's 'best friend'.</div><div>Pets do not judge children or get angry at them which can help with self esteem. Children often trust their pets with their secrets and private thoughts.</div><div>Pets aid childhood development</div><div>Pets help children develop nurturing and social skills. Developing positive feelings about pets can aid self-esteem and help children develop non-verbal communication and compassion. Studies of school children have shown that pet owners are not only more popular with their classmates but seem to be more empathetic as well.</div><div>Pets teach life lessons</div><div>Pets are often the first experience a child has with death and grieving. Pets also help kids to learn about health and illness and visits to the veterinarian reinforce that pets need good health care too.</div><div>Pets help teach respect for other living beings.</div><div>Pets are fun</div><div>Pets provide unconditional love, affection and comfort. Children can participate in safe games with their pets and those who participate in walking/exercising the family dog have the added benefit of extra physical activity. Kids enjoy helping with tasks like washing the dog or brushing the cat (always under supervision).</div><div>Pets encourage children to exercise</div><div>Physical activity in children results in social, mental and physical health benefits, to maximise these benefits it’s important to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in Australian children.</div><div>The Children’s Leisure Activities Study (CLASS) was undertaken to look at the family environment and its influence on children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviours. Preliminary findings indicate that playing with pets is in the top ten physical activity choices for children and families; owning a dog may encourage children to exercise and help reduce childhood obesity.</div><div>Pets may help to reduce allergies and asthma- western cultures report increasing rates of asthma and allergic disease, with pets often implicated as a causal factor. An interesting development in research in recent years, however, has demonstrated the opposite may in fact be the case: the presence of cats and dogs in the home from an early age may actually ‘acclimatise’ the developing immune system so that it is less sensitive to allergens in later life.</div><div>Article by Dr Katrina.</div><div>For more information on pets <a href="http://www.drkatrina.com">www.drkatrina.com</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>An Emotionally Intelligent Child</title><description><![CDATA[This month I would like to tell you a bit about some of the things I learned on my course Bringing Baby Home. I was encouraged to know that the methods I have been using to help baby settle have NOT, as some have presumed, caused long term emotional problems. Which of course I already knew otherwise I would not have been teaching it! As I have previously mentioned and which the Gottman Institute also stresses is that the first three years of life are the most important time in a child’s brain<img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/eVDMATVzhTk/mqdefault.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Sally Hall</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2014/05/01/An-Emotionally-Intelligent-Child-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2014/05/01/An-Emotionally-Intelligent-Child-1</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2014 03:27:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eVDMATVzhTk"/><div>This month I would like to tell you a bit about some of the things I learned on my course Bringing Baby Home. I was encouraged to know that the methods I have been using to help baby settle have NOT, as some have presumed, caused long term emotional problems. Which of course I already knew otherwise I would not have been teaching it! </div><div> As I have previously mentioned and which the Gottman Institute also stresses is that the first three years of life are the most important time in a child’s brain development. Little brains are constantly developing connections in the neural pathways to allow information to pass through the brain. These pathways act like roadmaps for later learning. Early childhood experiences help or hinder the learning process such as speech, solving problems, building relationships, and managing stress. The parent-child relationship developed at this early age is, as you can imagine, the most important factor in building the foundations for a child’s healthy physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.  What does a child need to establish emotional well-being. All children need to feel they have a reliable caregiver, one that they can not only trust and feel secure with but who has their well-being in mind. A parent not only needs to cloth and feed their child but they also need to know how to read their child’s non-verbal cues. As new parents this can sometime be very confusing until you learn to recognise your baby’s cry – hunger, overwhelmed, tried, unwell or pain. Learning your baby’s non-verbal cues will help you avoid some of the pitfalls. Understanding their physical needs will of course help you eliminate some of the guess work. For example if you have a good routine and know how long you baby should be sleeping between meals this will help you to eliminate if baby is showing signs of being over tired. And if your baby is fed well every 4 hours and putting on weight, you will know that if they cry it is not because they are hungry. Or if you baby has been sleeping well and has become unsettled then there may be something disturbing them – reflux, teething, unwell.  Gottman Institute confirms that a child who is well loved builds up positive emotional pathways. These pathways are established through a constructive parenting relationship and have positive implications throughout the child’s life. The early life experiences affect the child’s future ability to succeed in school, make friends, and achieve goals in work and family life. Constructive parenting involves setting boundaries, discipline, routines, house rules and social etiquette. So when does a parent start with constructive learning for their child? It can be as early as a few weeks if your child doesn't know how to self settle. Sleep is a primary need for all newborns. ‘Knowing’ your child helps to buffer or prevent potential problems or stressful situations. Teaching your child early will prevent potentially stressful situations later. ‘Knowing your child you will also be able to engage more fully with them in activities they enjoy, making learning more productive and play time more enjoyable. (Gottman Institute Bringing Baby Home) Here is one of several helpful video from the Gottman Institute that I would recommend you watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVDMATVzhTk">Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child.</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Bed Wetting</title><description><![CDATA[NOCTURNAL ENURESISNocturnal Enuresis or bedwetting is a very common condition of childhood. Bedwetting, once the child has started school, can cause considerable anxiety and stress, this in turn, may affect the child’s self-esteem and mental health. It can affect peer relationships, educational opportunities and can impact on family dynamics. So seeking treatment, sooner than later is recommended. STATISTICS Bedwetting affects 15% to 20% of 5 year old school age children. The spontaneous<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/41789e0300f54fe399738d150500722d.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Sally Hall</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2014/01/01/Bed-Wetting-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2014/01/01/Bed-Wetting-1</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Jan 2014 05:08:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/41789e0300f54fe399738d150500722d.jpg"/><div>NOCTURNAL ENURESIS</div><div>Nocturnal Enuresis or bedwetting is a very common condition of childhood. Bedwetting, once the child has started school, can cause considerable anxiety and stress, this in turn, may affect the child’s self-esteem and mental health. It can affect peer relationships, educational opportunities and can impact on family dynamics. So seeking treatment, sooner than later is recommended.</div><div>STATISTICS</div><div>Bedwetting affects 15% to 20% of 5 year old school age children.The spontaneous remission rate is 14% per year, with the chance of bedwetting continuing through to adulthood, is 1-4%.Bedwetting has a strong genetic link, it is more common in males, although females are more likely to “pass on” enuresis to their children.It is estimated only 1/3 of children, with bedwetting seek medical advice.</div><div>WHAT CAUSES BEDWETTING</div><div>Bedwetting is the involuntary passing of urine at night, in the absence of physical disease beyond the age of 5 years.</div><div> Bedwetting symptoms are caused by a combination of 3 factors:</div><div>Night-time urine production.Defective sleep and arousal patterns.Reduced bladder capacity.</div><div>Bed-wetting occurs when the amount of urine produced overnight exceeds the child’s bladder capacity, resulting in the sleeping child wetting the bed. It is believed many children, with bedwetting have an arousal response to a full bladder during sleep, but are unable to fully wake.</div><div>HOW CAN WE TREAT BEDWETTING</div><div>Treatment for bedwetting can start from age 6. It is not recommended starting any earlier due to immaturity of the child. A positive attitude and compliance from both child and parent, is fundamental to success.</div><div>Treatment for bedwetting can include a combination of: Urotherapy, Alarm training and Medication.</div><div>Parental involvement is crucial during alarm training. Creating a positive environment and involving the child in decision-making and taking ownership of their problem, is beneficial.</div><div>UROTHERAPY</div><div>Urotherapy encapsulates a wide range of interventions and advice, which can in some cases resolve bedwetting, so introducing these interventions into your child’s daily routine from an early age, can be beneficial.</div><div>Ensure your child has an adequate daily fluid intake. [Approximately 5 drinks per day].Avoid drinks and foods containing caffeine, [i.e. coke, cola and chocolate]. Caffeine is a diuretic which causes the kidney’s to produce more urine and it can irritate the bladder.Avoid consuming fluids late in the evening or close to bed. Giving your child, their last drink at least 1-11/2hours before bed. Always ensure your child empty’s their bladder before bed.Identify and treat constipation, as this can affect your child’s bladder function.Ensure appropriate toilet posture [i.e.: adequate foot support when sitting on the toilet]. This will help your child with complete evacuation of both their bladder and bowel. Providing a plastic stool and keeping it by the toilet, for easy use.Ensure regular toileting throughout the day, approximately every 2 hours and encouraging your child not to postpone toileting.</div><div>ENURESIS ALARM TRAINING</div><div>Enuresis alarm training is the first line treatment for bedwetting. The aim of alarm therapy is to train the child to withhold urination while asleep or to wake to void with a full bladder signal.</div><div>The types of alarms available include:</div><div>Pad and Bell [bed] alarm this consists of a mat placed on the child’s bed, which is connected to an alarm box and is activated when it comes into contact with urine.Body worn [personal] alarm, consists of a sensor, which is either secured in a panty liner or clipped to the child’s underpants. The alarm is activated when it comes in contact with urine.</div><div>Both types of alarms are equally effective. The choice is based on availability and acceptance of the chosen alarm. Once alarm training has commenced it should be used continuously until the child has obtained 14 consecutive dry nights. Ensure the child is sleeping close to their parent’s room. The child must wake quickly and effectively to the alarm for successful treatment. It is useful to record your child’s daily progress, stating whether they have had a dry or wet night.</div><div>TYPES OF MEDICATION</div><div>Medication for treating Nocturnal Enuresis includes Desmopressin and Tricyclics.</div><div>DESMOPRESSIN</div><div>Desmopressin is a synthetic hormone, which has an anti-diuretic effect, acting on the kidneys, reducing overnight urine production. Desmopressin is available as a tablet, melt or nasal spray and is effective in about 70% of children.</div><div> Desmopressin is useful for short-term effects such as sleepovers, school camps or when alarm training is not practical.</div><div>IMIPRAMINE</div><div>Imipramine and other Tricyclic antidepressants, where originally used to treat bedwetting. Due to their side effects, they are no longer recommended.</div><div>OTHER TREATMENTS</div><div>Alternative treatment such as Hypnotherapy, Accupuncture and Chiropractic Therapy have previously been tried, but the evidence based research to support their use, is limited.</div><div>WHEN TO SEEK HELP</div><div>If your child does not respond to alarm training, it is recommended you seek further specialist, medical advice.</div><div>USEFULL WEBSITES</div><div><a href="http://www.i-c-c-s.org/">The International Children’s Continence Society</a> [ICCS]<a href="http://www.continence.org.au/">The Continence Foundation of Australia</a><a href="http://www.continencexchange.org.au/">Australian Continence Exchange</a></div><div>REFERENCES</div><div><div>Caroline Walsh RN Nurse Continence Advisor Children’s Hospital Westmead</div> Email <a href="mailto:caroline.walsh@health.nsw.com.au?subject=">caroline.walsh@health.nsw.com.au</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Maternal Mental Health</title><description><![CDATA[It is estimated that depression will be the number one cause of disability in both the developed and developing worlds by 2030 (WHO 2008). Mental health is not simply an absence of mental illness it is; “a state of emotional and psychological well being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capability, function in society and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life.” (WHO 2001) Statistics 1 in 5 Australians experience a mental illness within a 12 month<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/71da661fc1a74eaa9e5fd4819b8503d4.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Sally Hall</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/09/01/Maternal-Mental-Health</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/09/01/Maternal-Mental-Health</guid><pubDate>Sun, 01 Sep 2013 05:46:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/71da661fc1a74eaa9e5fd4819b8503d4.jpg"/><div>It is estimated that depression will be the number one cause of disability in both the developed and developing worlds by 2030 (WHO 2008). Mental health is not simply an absence of mental illness it is; “a state of emotional and psychological well being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capability, function in society and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life.” (WHO 2001)</div><div>Statistics</div><div>1 in 5 Australians experience a mental illness within a 12 month period (ABS National Survey of Mental Health and wellbeing of Adults 1997)Depression is the 4th most common problem managed in General Practice. (Britt, H. Et al 2005)Postnatal Depression affects almost 16% of first time mothers in Australia (Beyond Blue 2009)Baby Blues affect 80% of women9.7% of Australians have an anxiety disorderPrevalence of anxiety is between 18-50 yrs40% of women with anxiety have additional Mental Health issuesAn average of 2.1 days per month were reported as ‘out of role days’ e.e. 2.7 million persons per month.Anxiety and depression can significantly impact on all aspects of daily life.</div><div>Maternal Mental Health impact on Children</div><div>Mother’s mental health impacts on emotional, cognitive and social development of a child. Studies have shown that maternal anxiety is related to negative effects on attachment, increased incidence of illness and behaviour disturbances of a newborn. Antenatal anxiety can also effects foetal development, infant temperament and psychological and cognitive outcomes in childhood and adolescence.</div><div>Brain and biological development during the first years of life in highly influenced by an infant’s environment. Birth to three yrs of age is the most important phase for overall development throughout the life span. Early experiences determine health, education and economic participation for the rest of our lives. Many challenges faced by adults, such as mental health issues, obesity, heart disease, criminality, poor literacy and numeracy can be traced back to early childhood experiences (WHO 20009)</div><div>Early Brain Development</div><div>Early childhood is the most intense period of brain development. Language and cognitive development is most important in the first 6 months to 3 yrs of life. Adequate nutrition and stimulation is essential. Absence of attachment results in negative effects on brain development and cognitive function. Antenatal research shows physical changes to foetal cerebral ventricle structure of women experiencing antenatal stress and anxiety. (Hollings, K. 2007)</div><div>Maternal Mental Health Study</div><div>A study on maternal mental health and its impact on child behaviour and development carried out in Scotland by Louise Marryat and Claudia Martin with over 3000 mothers. These mothers were assessed for 4 points within 10-46 months after the child was born. </div><div>Findings:</div><div>Almost 1/3 of all the mothers interviewed experienced poor mental health at some point in the four years after the birth of the baby being observed for the survey.Between 12 -16% of the mothers experienced mental health difficulties67% of mothers who reported mental health issues early in the study had subsequent mental health issuesMental health difficulties were associated with a mother’s social circumstances: those who experienced poverty and those living in an area of deprivation were most likely to experience brief and repeated mental health problemsRepeated mental health problems where additionally associated with reported relationship difficulties.</div><div>Effect on Children:</div><div>Attachment issues - less efforts to engage with mothers who were non responsive to their infantsPoor relationship with their peer at age 3Frequent temper tantrumsChild often lies or cheats</div><div>Causes of Maternal Stress:</div><div>Hormonal changes – can be exacerbated by pre-existing conditionsLittle family support – from grandparentsFinancial stressReturning to work – childcareIsolationCompetitive coffee mumsCrying, unsettled baby</div><div>Outcomes:</div><div>It was clear that children with mothers who were free from mental health problems were more likely to have more positive outcomes and that those children whose mothers had persistent mental health problems had the poorest outcomes. Maternal mental health was associated with socio-economic disadvantage, impoverished interpersonal relationships and with poor social support.</div><div>What can be done:</div><div>Find some guidance – contact your Early Childhood centre, family GPGain assistance and advice for unsettled baby, nutrition and play ideasLook for positive ways to stimulate and interact with babyDon’t be afraid to ask for support – from family and friendsAccess mental health support systems - talk about your problem with a trained counsellor</div><div>Mental Health Agents</div><div>Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 <a href="http://www.beyondblue.org.au">www.beyondblue.org.au</a> Gidget Foundation: 1300 726 306 <a href="http://www.gidgetfoundation.com.au">www.gidgetfoundation.com.au</a></div><div>References</div><div>Kerry Harley RN RMW CAFHN Grad. Cert. Mental Health(Adult) kerryharely13@yahoo.com.au </div><div>Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help</div><div>Find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children through our ,  and .</div><div>All articles on this website have a copyright. The use of any material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.</div><div>Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this information is right for your child.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Milk Refusal</title><description><![CDATA[Breast or bottle refusal can be a distressing occurrence for both mother and baby. Often the baby has previously fed happily, then for some reason, begins to refuse a feed. Causes may be apparent such as: an alert baby being easily distracted, over-feeding or force-feeding, gastric reflux, illness in the infant or if breastfeeding, oral or nipple thrush, mastitis, medications and hormonal changes (e.g. ovulation, menstruation), or mother becoming ill. There may also be issues relating to]]></description><dc:creator>Sally Hall</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/08/01/Milk-Refusal-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/08/01/Milk-Refusal-1</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Aug 2013 03:55:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Breast or bottle refusal can be a distressing occurrence for both mother and baby.</div><div>Often the baby has previously fed happily, then for some reason, begins to refuse a feed. Causes may be apparent such as: an alert baby being easily distracted, over-feeding or force-feeding, gastric reflux, illness in the infant or if breastfeeding, oral or nipple thrush, mastitis, medications and hormonal changes (e.g. ovulation, menstruation), or mother becoming ill. There may also be issues relating to mother’s milk supply, such as: low supply, or slow let-down reflex (thus baby becomes frustrated), or the milk flowing too quickly and baby needs a breather.</div><div>Usually, after a few days the baby begins feeding again as though there had never been a problem. If the cause can be located it can be treated, e.g. thrush, gastric reflux.</div><div>I have seen older babies who literally refuse their feeds even after only having 30-50 mls or 5 -10 mins on the breast. These babies usually come off crying and refuse further attempts to get them to feed. This is very stressful for mums and bubs. Many of these babies have a degree of reflux and even though they may be on medication, the medication may not be working as well as it should be to prevent discomfort while feeding. Adjusting their medication will improve baby’s feeding so have a chat to your doctor. If the situation is ignored it usually becomes worse.</div><div>It is also important not to feed baby too soon after the last feed as he/she will not feed well and you will only be setting up a bad habit of snack feeding and cat napping. Normally when your milk has come in (usually by the fourth day) baby should be able to go three and a half to four hours between feeds unless you have a low supply. If baby has reflux, feeding small more frequent feeds use to be encouraged but most babies prefer to have a full feed and not fed to frequently. Feeding a reflux baby small more frequent feeds is like adding fuel to the fire, increasing the stomach content which aggravates the heart burn.</div><div>Overfeeding also makes baby feel very uncomfortable as it does us. Baby will feed better if fed less than three and a half hours from the last feed with a good sleep (not a 45 min nap between feeds). A baby that sleeps well will be rested and will feed well. See article on When Does Your Baby Have a Sleep Problem?</div><div>Some things to remember:</div><div>Do not overfeed baby - this leads to discomfort and aggravates refluxDon't underfeed baby - this will lead to hungry, irritable bab.Make sure your baby is happy &amp; content after a feed.Check baby is putting on weight and has good wet nappies every 4 hrs.If you have a low supply - express after every day feed and top baby up after the breastfeed where needed.Assist in baby's selfsettling - good sleep habits will encourage better feeding.If baby is on reflux medication - check with your doctor re increasing or changing the medication.If baby is being distracted - move to a quieter room to feed.Check baby doesn't have thrush.</div><div>If baby continues to fuss at the breast you must express after each day feed to keep up your supply and if necessary top up with bottle of expressed milk (from the morning when you supply is the fullest) or with formula.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Working From Home as a Bookkeeper</title><description><![CDATA[Stay at home mum? Try this work from home job Finding legitimate work from home jobs is challenging. The internet is full of scammers offering unbelievable rates of pay for unskilled work. As I’ve learnt the hard way, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.... So what is a legitimate way for stay at home mums to find work from home jobs? Bookkeeping is real. It requires genuine skills and you’re providing a real service that people need. It has long been a popular option for mums,<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/dc8702379d2144d6bd16b91480d1dbdc.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>William Cowie</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/07/01/Working-From-Home-as-a-Bookkeeper-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/07/01/Working-From-Home-as-a-Bookkeeper-1</guid><pubDate>Mon, 01 Jul 2013 08:42:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/dc8702379d2144d6bd16b91480d1dbdc.jpg"/><div>Stay at home mum? Try this work from home job</div><div>Finding legitimate work from home jobs is challenging. The internet is full of scammers offering unbelievable rates of pay for unskilled work. As I’ve learnt the hard way, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is....</div><div>So what is a legitimate way for stay at home mums to find work from home jobs?</div><div>Bookkeeping is real. It requires genuine skills and you’re providing a real service that people need. It has long been a popular option for mums, because it offers legitimate work-at-home opportunities and a long term career path. So how do you start a career as a bookkeeper?</div><div>Bookkeeping as a career for stay at home mums</div><div>The important part! Can you actually get work-at-home jobs as a bookkeeper?</div><div>Work for yourself</div><div>The most exciting option is starting your own contract bookkeeping business. Contract bookkeepers are usually self-employed bookkeepers who provide bookkeeping services to other businesses. The major advantage is setting your own work hours and workload, a huge boon for any stay at home mum!</div><div>Most contract bookkeepers are hired by businesses for one reason: to do the BAS.</div><div>BAS stands for Business Activity Statements, essential tax reports that businesses have to send to the tax office at certain points in the year.</div><div>You MUST be registered as a BAS agent with the Tax Practitioners Board IF you provide BAS services for a fee or other reward. We’ll discuss the requirements to become a BAS agent in more detail in the training section, or you can read our article: <a href="http://www.inspireeducation.net.au/blog/bookkeepers-accountants-how-to-become-a-registered-bas-agent/">How to Become a Registered BAS Agent</a>.</div><div>Things do get a little trickier when you’re operating you own business – you need to develop your own client base, purchase &amp; maintain your own equipment, and don’t forget to pay your own super!</div><div>You should also get an ABN and you might need to pay GST too. For a complete rundown on becoming a contract bookkeeper, check out our article: <a href="http://www.inspireeducation.net.au/blog/become-a-contract-bookkeeper/">How to Become a Contract Bookkeeper</a>.</div><div>Work for a bookkeeping or accounting business</div><div>It’s often a challenge to find legitimate work from home jobs advertised. You’re better off enquiring directly to contract bookkeeping businesses to see if they employ people working at home.</div><div>Some bookkeeping and accounting businesses employ people to do the ‘grunt’ work, entering transactions and other data-entry type work, so that more qualified professionals can then quickly extract reports and other essential information. Thanks to the internet, much of this can be done from home!</div><div>Work for a small business</div><div>As an alternative, approach small businesses that are trying to employ a casual or part-time bookkeeper. Lots of businesses need someone to calculate payroll and keep all financial records up to date on a weekly basis.</div><div>Many of these positions already offer school friendly hours, but you can also discuss working from home for part, even all, of the week. Choose businesses close to home so that it’s not a big deal to duck into the office for meetings, or to pick up and drop off work when needed.</div><div>Work with your partner or family</div><div>Bookkeeping is also a great complimentary skill to possess if your partner, or members of your extended family, runs their own small businesses. You can keep a lot more money in the family if you don’t need to hire a contract bookkeeper to do the family’s books and BAS statements. Remember, you don’t need to be a registered BAS agent to do BAS, IF you don’t accept a fee or other reward.</div><div>Don’t forget to ask your family and network of friends about job opportunities, or offer to take them on as clients when you start your own contract bookkeeping business. Trust is one of the major requirements in a relationship between bookkeeper and client, so you’ll have a massive advantage over other bookkeepers there!</div><div>Do you need training to become a bookkeeper?</div><div>If you’re serious about starting your bookkeeping career, get training. Training and/or experience are essential to becoming a bookkeeper. Technically it is possible to walk into bookkeeping jobs without experience and qualifications. Realistically, that won’t happen in our job market unless you’re extremely lucky – so it’s time to look at some courses.</div><div>Essential bookkeeping courses</div><div>Fortunately there are a variety of courses available to get you started. They are offered online from many course providers so you can study at home on your own schedule. The best vocational qualifications to get are the:</div><div>- Certificate IV in Bookkeeping - Certificate IV in Accounting</div><div>The Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and Certificate IV in Accounting are the most sought after bookkeeping qualifications. I have talked to some bookkeeping companies about their hiring practices and they often require one of these qualifications as a minimum standard.</div><div>You can start your Certificate IV in Bookkeeping/Accounting without experience or qualifications; however we find the learning curve can be a little steep if you don’t have bookkeeping knowledge already. As a result, we normally recommend that you have experience working in the financial services industry, or get a Certificate III level qualification in an accounting/bookkeeping related course, first.</div><div>BAS agent training</div><div>The Certificate IV in Bookkeeping and Accounting courses are also the minimum qualification needed to register as a BAS agent. It’s very important for furthering your career in bookkeeping. BAS agent registration also requires you to complete suitable GST and BAS courses. Fortunately these can be included as part of the Certificate IV course (product plug: we’ve done this with our Certificate IV in Accounting &amp; Bookkeeping courses here at Inspire Education!).</div><div>To meet all BAS agent training requirements, simply ensure the Certificate IV program you study includes these two courses: - FNSBKG404A - Carry out business activity and instalment activity statement tasks - FNSBKG405A - Establish and maintain a payroll system</div><div>Other bookkeeping courses</div><div>If you’re looking for alternative entry courses for the bookkeeping field, check out: • Certificate III in Accounts Administration • Certificate III in Business Administration • Certificate IV in Business Administration</div><div>The Certificate III in Accounts Administration focuses on teaching bookkeeping and accounting skills you need to get entry level work in bookkeeping. It’s a suitable course for entry into a bookkeeping career in most cases.</div><div>The two Business Administration courses also teach a variety of essential bookkeeping skills, plus a number of general office administration skills. They’re also good choices if you’re interested in more general office administration roles in the future.</div><div>Bookkeeping – the work from home job with a career path!</div><div>The final benefit of bookkeeping is the ability to have a career path, not just a job. We’ve already discussed the business opportunities, but there are also many further training options to unlock more job options throughout your life.</div><div>Further vocational training and university education</div><div>You can build on your Certificate IV in Bookkeeping/Accounting with a Diploma, then Advanced Diploma of Accounting. A Diploma qualification is accepted as an entry path into many university-level accounting programs, which will give you an accounting degree!</div><div>With a degree, you can get a professional accounting accreditation, required for many professional accounting roles. There are two major professional accounting bodies in Australia; CPA Australia and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.</div><div>Bookkeeping – the career for you?</div><div>Let’s not beat around the bush – not everyone wants a career in bookkeeping. You need to be good with numbers, organised, have strong analytical and problem solving skills and a lot of patience and dedication. It is a great career choice for many of you though, and I challenge you to at least give it a try!</div><div>If you’ve made it this far, you’re interested, or you’ve got incredible fortitude and patience! Either way, I thank you for taking the time to read my article! Check out some accounting and bookkeeping courses today, before you forget or put it off. I’m wishing you the best of luck in your bookkeeping career!</div><div>William Cowie is a blogger and inbound marketing professional for Inspire Education, one of Australia’s leading vocational training companies.</div><div>William Cowie has also written an article on <a href="http://www.inspireeducation.net.au/blog/services-for-mothers/">Services for mothers returning to work</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Job Ideas for Mothers Returning to Work</title><description><![CDATA[Ten top jobs for mothers returning to work Formal work that is. You’re a mother; you’ve already been working hard at home caring for your family. But now you’re looking to get back into the workforce, or you’re looking for a job to boost the family’s income. You need something flexible so you’re not scrambling for a babysitter on a regular basis and something that doesn’t take you out on the road for weeks at a time. You may also need a job that is particularly noble or allows you to work from<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/ea2ded871fb834580ae155324f58345d.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>William Cowie</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/06/01/Job-Ideas-for-Mothers-Returning-to-Work-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/06/01/Job-Ideas-for-Mothers-Returning-to-Work-1</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Jun 2013 07:55:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/ea2ded871fb834580ae155324f58345d.jpg"/><div>Ten top jobs for mothers returning to work</div><div>Formal work that is. You’re a mother; you’ve already been working hard at home caring for your family. But now you’re looking to get back into the workforce, or you’re looking for a job to boost the family’s income. You need something flexible so you’re not scrambling for a babysitter on a regular basis and something that doesn’t take you out on the road for weeks at a time. You may also need a job that is particularly noble or allows you to work from home, because you need a good reason to take time away from your children. Some jobs are just low-stress or fun, because life is too short to do something horrible or boring.  So, in no particular order:Job ideas for mothers returning to work1. Writer Bit of a wordsmith? Try a writing job! It’s a chance to express yourself creatively, hours are flexible and many jobs let you work from home - so no daily commute! There are many ways for a mum returning to work to be a writer – including freelancing, technical writing (helping people understand science, technology and other concepts) or blogging. You could even become an author, writing your own novels, non-fiction works or children’s books.2. Editor Someone has to check all the work done by those writers, right? Editing work is a perfect way to return to work, if you’re highly literate and have great attention to detail. It’s another flexible job where a working mother can work to deadlines rather than spending 9-to-5 in the office. It can often be done from home, allowing you to work at times that suit you, and frees you to manage your own schedule most of the time.3. Teacher Have kids in school? For a mum returning to the workforce, working as a school teacher means you’ll finish work around the same time the kids finish school. You’ll also get the benefit of having the same holiday periods, saving heaps of stress finding baby sitters. Plus, you can be creative, it’s rewarding, you get to work with kids...hey, you might even enjoy it!4. Bookkeeper or accountant Good with numbers? Have great attention to detail? Bookkeeping and accounting jobs can often be done from home – or you can start your own contract bookkeeping business! You need the Certificate IV in Bookkeeping qualification or higher so you can prepare Business Activity Statements (BAS), but that isn’t too arduous. Expect to be busy around the end of financial year and tax time, but the rest of the year you should be able to find the balance between work and family life.5. Healthcare professional Caring for others is not only a noble vocation – it’s also in demand! There are a number of healthcare related careers you can pursue – technician, nurse, doctor, carer – many of which have opportunities to work flexible hours. Aged care has been a growth industry for some time due to the ageing of Australia’s population. Disability services are set to explode as well, with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to be introduced Australia wide in the near future. Want to get started? The Certificate III in Aged Care or Certificate III in Disability are great starting courses to develop and demonstrate your skills.6. Child care professional If you’ve raised your own kids, you’ve probably dealt with the odd booger and ‘poopy’ nappy. Enjoyed it? Well maybe not the ‘poopy’ nappies... but for return to work mothers, child care could be a great way to use your extensive experience in an enjoyable vocation. These days you’ll need to be working towards or hold a Certificate III in Children’s Services to work in formal child care. You can continue on to a Diploma of Children’s Services to run a child care or family day care centre as well – or start your own!7. Personal trainer Return to work mothers - get paid to be fit! Kick some butt one-on-one or push a whole class to new heights of fitness!8. Data entry Ok, bear with me – it is kind of boring. The latest incarnation of the typist job, data entry is ideal for a working mother when you want to just type and leave your brain free to monitor your little ones. For many mothers returning to work, this job can easily be done from home and employers often prefer it that way! Fit your work around other activities – tap away while the kids are at pre-school or after they go to sleep.9. Entrepreneur Got an awesome idea? Instead of being a mum returning to work, pursue your idea and achieve it on your own. You’ll have the job you want rather than the one you have to have. Your boss will be very understanding about unusual hours and time off, too...10. Photographer Birthdays, weddings, concerts, parties, bar mitzvahs – you can capture those magic moments on memory sticks and save memories for your clients. If you’re a mother returning to work, this is a cool way to get out and have some fun at shoots, then you can do post-processing work at home. Plus some cash for you!</div><div>Have I stirred up some ideas? Best of luck in returning to the workforce – it’s not always easy, but it’s worth it if it helps you reach your financial goals or gives you a sense of personal satisfaction.</div><div>William Cowie is part of the team at Inspire Education, one of the leading providers of vocational training and child care courses in Australia. He loves to fish, read and tinker with computers in his spare time.</div><div>William Cowie has also written an article on <a href="http://www.inspireeducation.net.au/blog/services-for-mothers/">Services for mothers returning to work</a> and Working From Home as a Bookkeeper.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Vision Development Milestones</title><description><![CDATA[Important Developmental Milestones from Birth to 5 Years of AgeThis article continues on from Vision Development Birth to 6 weeks: Stares at surroundings when awake Momentarily holds gaze on bright object Eyes and head move together One eye may seem turned in or out at times 8 weeks to 24 weeks: Eyes begin to move more widely with less head movement Eyes begin to follow moving objects or people (8-12 weeks) Watches parents face when being talked too (10-12 weeks) Eyes move in active inspection<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/4f7df562c8e24f6ca270b20808afd4e6.jpg"/>]]></description><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/05/01/Vision-Development-Milestones-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/05/01/Vision-Development-Milestones-1</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2013 08:49:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/4f7df562c8e24f6ca270b20808afd4e6.jpg"/><div>Important Developmental Milestones from Birth to 5 Years of Age</div><div>This article continues on from Vision Development</div><div>Birth to 6 weeks:</div><div>Stares at surroundings when awakeMomentarily holds gaze on bright objectEyes and head move togetherOne eye may seem turned in or out at times</div><div>8 weeks to 24 weeks:</div><div>Eyes begin to move more widely with less head movementEyes begin to follow moving objects or people (8-12 weeks)Watches parents face when being talked too (10-12 weeks)Eyes move in active inspection of surroundings (18-20weeks)While sitting, looks at hands, toys, food, bottle (18-24 weeks)Now looking for, and watching more distant objects (20-28weeks)</div><div>30 weeks to 48 weeks:</div><div>May turn eyes inward while inspecting hands or toy (28-32weeks)Eyes more mobile and move with little head movement (30-36weeks)Watches activities around them for longer periods of time (30-36weeks)Looks for toy that they drop (32-38weeks)Visually inspects toys they can hold (38-40weeks)Crawls after favourite toy when seen (40-44weeks)Looking around the room to see what is happening (44-48weeks)Visually responds to smiles and voices of others (40-48weeks)More and more visual inspection of objects and persons (46-52weeks)</div><div>12 months to 18 months:</div><div>Now using both hands and visually steering hand activity (12-14months)Visually interested in simple pictures (14-16months)Often holds objects very close to eyes to inspect (14-18months)Points to objects or people using words “look” or “see” (14-18months)Looks for and identifies pictures in books (16-18months)</div><div>24 months to 36 months:</div><div>Occasionally inspects visually without needing to touch (20-24months)Smiles, face brightens when viewing favourite object/people (20-24 months)Watches own hand while scribbling (26-30months)Visually explores and steers own walking and climbing (30-36months)Watches and imitates other children (30-36 months)Can now begin to keep colouring on the paper (34-38months)‘Reads’ pictures in books (34-38months)</div><div>40 months to 48 months</div><div>Brings head and eyes close to page of book while inspecting (40-44months)Draws and names circle and cross on paper (40-44months)Can close eyes on request, and may be able to wink one eye (46-50months)</div><div>4 Years to 5 Years:</div><div>Uses eyes and hands together well and with increasing skills moves and rolls eyes in an expressive wayDraws and names picturesColours within linesCuts and pastes quite well on simple picturesCopies simple forms and some lettersCan place small objects in small openingsVisually alert and observant of surroundingsTells about places, objects or people seen elsewhereShows increasing visual interest in new objects and places</div><div>If your child shows any difficulty in achieving these visual skills on the developmental milestone checklist, you should have them assessed by a Behavioural Optometrist. It is important to deal with any issues as soon as possible. Your child should have a comprehensive examination several times before entering school. The first of these should take place at six months of age. The vision screening that most children receive at school does not replace a thorough examination by a Behavioural Optometrist. Behavioural optometrists are different to other optometrists in the facet that, they treat VISION and not just EYESIGHT. They have a better understanding of VISION and knows how to encourage its development. It tends to be more holistic in its approach as it tries to incorporate the physical, neurological and developmental aspects of VISION. It is the goals of behavioural optometrists to prevent VISION and eye problems from developing and/or provide remediation or rehabilitation for VISION or eye problems that might have already developed.<div>Chih Chi Lee, Behavioural Optometrist Eyecare Plus 77 CecilAve, Castle Hill, NSW 2154 Tel: 02 8677 5483<a href="http://www.ccleeoptometrist.com">www.ccleeoptometrist.com</a></div></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Vision Development</title><description><![CDATA[Parents’ Checklist The human visual system is our most dynamic sense. At birth, many of the components of the visual system are in place, such as the eyes, optic nerve and brain, but it is after birth that growth, development, co-ordination and fine tuning of the visual system occur. Many people confuse the word “vision” and “eyesight” and think they are synonymous, but they are in fact very different. Eyesight essentially refers to the physical attributes and performance of the many organic<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/adefeb700965e234df8e9a30571b463c.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Chih Chi Lee</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/03/31/Vision-Development-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/03/31/Vision-Development-1</guid><pubDate>Sun, 31 Mar 2013 07:07:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/adefeb700965e234df8e9a30571b463c.jpg"/><div>Parents’ Checklist</div><div>The human visual system is our most dynamic sense. At birth, many of the components of the visual system are in place, such as the eyes, optic nerve and brain, but it is after birth that growth, development, co-ordination and fine tuning of the visual system occur.</div><div>Many people confuse the word “vision” and “eyesight” and think they are synonymous, but they are in fact very different. Eyesight essentially refers to the physical attributes and performance of the many organic components involved in the visual system. 20/20 vision is a commonly quoted measure of normal VISION, yet it simply describes the sensitivity of the eye to see fine details in the distance. Vision uses EYESIGHT as its foundation. Vision combines information from many sensory systems to create a perception of reality. Vision uses information from all the senses, including hearing, smell, touch and even taste, which is then combined with information provided via EYESIGHT. After all of this is processed, it is then linked to memory and an image of the world or object is created. In other words, VISION is learned, so understanding the normal visual developmental stages of an infant, through to child to even a teenager is extremely important to ensure that they acquire adequate visual performance for learning later in life. A child with a vision problem may experience learning difficulties later in life that are not necessarily related to intelligence. Intervening to provide the stimulation required to encourage more normal development of VISION is one of the goals of Behavioural Optometry. The information followed will outline some of the changes that occur in the first six months of life and the important developmental milestones to give parents an approximate indication of what to expect in their child’s visual capabilities at a particular age. Any significant delay should be referred for immediate assessment to a Behavioural Optometrist.</div><div>First 6 Months of Life</div><div>Structure</div><div>The new born eye is remarkably close to its full adult size. This is one of the reasons why a babies eyes always look so gorgeous and big, in proportion to their body size.</div><div>Vision</div><div>The visual acuity (sharpness of eyesight) of an infant develops rapidly from birth. At 1 month, the child has a visual acuity of 6/180, then reaches an adults level of 6/6 (20/20) by 4-6 months of age.</div><div>Focusing</div><div>Focusing like visual acuity appears to develop to full adults level by 4-6 months of age, where there is adult capacity to vary focus and to fixate on objects at different distances.</div><div>Visual Guidance</div><div>There is a primitive reflex called the tonic neck reflex which exists at birth. This reflex allows the head and eyes to point to the outstretched hand when the head is turned to the side. At 4 months, the child exhibits “swiping” behaviour, where it sees an object and tries to grasp it, but doesn’t have the required coordination. At 6 months, the child is able to grasp an object they see.</div><div>Eye Movement</div><div>At birth, the child’s eyes generally point in the same direction, but they do not work together as a team. This is why it is common for it to appear that there is turned eye. The eyes generally move together, but only one eye fixates at a time. By 8 weeks, the child is generally able to use both eyes as a team.</div><div>This article is continued in the article Vision Development Milestones covering the important developmental milestones from birth to 5 years of age.</div><div>Chih Chi Lee, Behavioural Optometrist Eyecare Plus 77 CecilAve, Castle Hill, NSW 2154 Tel: 02 8677 5483<a href="http://www.ccleeoptometrist.com">www.ccleeoptometrist.com</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Good Oral Health: Important In Childhood</title><description><![CDATA[Continuing on from Dr Mahony last article on Spouted Drinking Cup Warning, in this article he takes a look at how we can encourage good oral health teaching toddlers and babies how to use a smaller cup instead of a sipper cup. “Babycup is a healthy drinking choice for your child. Spouts, and no-spill valves, mean a child has to suck, rather than sip. This contributes to poor facial and dental development. Developing healthy oral habits from an early age has a great influence on how your child’s<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/2413127bf16345938d22067950c0d77f.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Dr Derek Mahony and Dr Julian Keel</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/03/01/Good-Oral-Health-Important-In-Childhood-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/03/01/Good-Oral-Health-Important-In-Childhood-1</guid><pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2013 07:01:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/2413127bf16345938d22067950c0d77f.jpg"/><div>Continuing on from Dr Mahony last article on Spouted Drinking Cup Warning, in this article he takes a look at how we can encourage good oral health teaching toddlers and babies how to use a smaller cup instead of a sipper cup.</div><div>“Babycup is a healthy drinking choice for your child. Spouts, and no-spill valves, mean a child has to suck, rather than sip. This contributes to poor facial and dental development. Developing healthy oral habits from an early age has a great influence on how your child’s teeth will develop. A young child’s teeth, jaws, and muscles are still growing so it’s a crucial time for parents to act.” </div><div>In an article on toddler diets, and oral health, the British Dental Health Foundation website says that drinks should be offered six to eight times a day. From an early age, these drinks should be sipped from a cup or glass, not sucked from a bottle. The same Foundation suggests starting by the time babies are about 6 months old, or when they are able to sit up and can hold things, on their own.</div><div>Using a lid, or spout, with a no-spill valve does not teach the child how to drink properly. Many of these lidded cups, or non-spill beakers, are marketed as training aids. In reality they are tools of convenience. Parents understandably might think they’ve helped their children as they reach for a no-spill cup and say “My baby is off the bottle.” But, as the American Dental Association concurs, they are baby bottles in disguise. Cups, with valves, do not allow a child to sip. Children have no choice except to suck – as from a baby bottle. The ADA says to avoid no-spill valves. (It is important to note that the action of suckling on a breast is an entirely different oral process from sucking on a drinking cup spout).</div><div>Speech Difficulties?</div><div>When a child sucks a thumb, the tongue is misplaced in order to accommodate the intrusion in the palate, and the teeth are pushed forward, say orofacial myologists (a field of study that looks at how certain structural or functional factors, in the mouth, can cause speech and swallowing issues). Studies have been carried out on thumb sucking, or finger sucking, and bottle use – but not on spouted cups. However, logic, and the belief of a growing number of health professionals, suggests the physiological effects are the same when a hard spout is placed in the mouth. An internet search brings up numerous discussions showing speech therapists and orofacial myologists, discussing this point, with the added concerns that regular, and prolonged, use of hard- spouted cups are causing difficulty with articulation, clarity of speech, proper swallowing and excessive drooling.</div><div>Healthy Habits</div><div>Many health professionals, and nutrition experts, agree that toddlers should be taking their snacks, including drinks, sitting at a table or in the highchair.</div><div>Some parents are concerned that their toddler may become dehydrated, in the summer months, if not left to drink freely. If the child is regularly taken into the kitchen, and offered a small cup, containing a few ounces/ml’s of milk or cool water, there is no risk of dehydration.</div><div>It is amazing how quickly toddlers will learn to drink from a regular cup – even without a free-flow spout! </div><div>Parents might understandably worry about how to tackle the task of teaching a child, (who is used to throwing a non-spill valved cup on to the floor without consequence), that a ‘big girl/big boy cup’ can spill and create a mess.</div><div>Begin slowly. 1oz or less, or just 20ml at a time. Milk or water. Be close at hand. Help. Guide the child. Let your hand hover nearby if need be. Be ready to take the cup if spills concern you. Help your child find the table/surface so they start to feel how to place the cup back down and pick it up again.</div><div>Sara Keel’s belief is that her baby-sized Babycup, also helps encourage fine motor skills. Keel says, “As well as the dental and facial growth benefits, of using a Babycup, I wanted my children to actually learn the art of holding something in their hands, without the aid of a lid or handle. These handles and spouts are like having stabilisers on a bike – all very well until you want to take them off and then it can be a shock to the system. The advent of balance bikes has been a great example of stripping back the unnecessary aids: many children who learn to use balance bikes are able to progress seamlessly onto bigger pedal bikes, without anything to help them artificially balance, or without them having to ‘relearn’ skills. Babycup is a similar idea. Remove the unnecessary steps. Simply let your child learn the skill now, rather than later. You’ll be amazed, and very proud, when you see what they can do when you give them the chance. I’m certain that later on, when they have grown bigger, children will move on to normal-sized open cups, with much more ease, than their spout-sucking contemporaries.”</div><div>“My second and third children both used mini cups, from the age of 6 months, and their fine motor skills really improved. My youngest’s pencil grip, at 11 months, was more advanced than many 5 year olds” says Keel.</div><div>Small Changes, Big Differences</div><div>With so many gadgets and gizmos on offer, it’s easy to see how we become spoiled. But with lids and valves we become unaccustomed to the mess of a cup spilling, and this is a mistake. Our carpets become more treasured than our children. There is an easy change to be made, in order to help reverse the trend for crooked smiles; poorly developed faces, jaws and teeth; dental decay; speech impediments and a host of other early childhood health problems. Fill cups less and, like the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests, switch to an open cup as soon as your child can manage it.</div><div>The Babycup range of open cups is made with little people in mind. They really are little cups for little people. Translucent, so baby can see inside, they are tiny versions of a regular cup. </div><div>Keel feels that the barrier to helping reduce these childhood health problems, and to a baby developing excellent fine motor skills, is us, “It’s so often our own decisions as parents – or our own fears or prejudices – that stop our babies and children from developing in the most natural, and healthy, way. It’s up to us, as parents, to change that modern trend.”</div><div>Article by: Dr Derek Mahony(Specialist Orthodontist) and Dr Julian Keel (Cranial chiropractor)</div><div>Further information:</div><div>Dr Derek Mahony – <a href="http://www.derekmahony.com">www.derekmahony.com</a> and <a href="http://www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au">www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au</a></div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Spouted Drinking Cup Warning</title><description><![CDATA[There is an increasing belief, amongst numerous healthcare disciplines – orthodontists, dentists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, orofacial myologists to name but a few – that no-spill valves, and spouted drinking cups, are the cause of many childhood problems. These include crooked or crowded teeth, tooth decay, speech impediments, speech delays, chewing problems, swallowing problems, otitis media (ear infections; also glue ear), and poor facial development. Many of these problems<img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_6d9c2468fbc14e55aa1882481bd23127%7Emv1.jpg"/>]]></description><dc:creator>Dr Derek Mahony and Dr Julian Keel</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/02/01/Spouted-Drinking-Cup-Warning-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2013/02/01/Spouted-Drinking-Cup-Warning-1</guid><pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2013 06:55:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><img src="http://static.wixstatic.com/media/b5684f_6d9c2468fbc14e55aa1882481bd23127~mv1.jpg"/><div>There is an increasing belief, amongst numerous healthcare disciplines – orthodontists, dentists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, orofacial myologists to name but a few – that no-spill valves, and spouted drinking cups, are the cause of many childhood problems. These include crooked or crowded teeth, tooth decay, speech impediments, speech delays, chewing problems, swallowing problems, otitis media (ear infections; also glue ear), and poor facial development. Many of these problems are often discussed in connection with prolonged bottle use, so it is no surprise that many of these healthcare professionals describe no-spill drinking cups as ‘baby bottles in disguise’. These bottle substitutes often end up being used long past the age that is otherwise recommended for bottle weaning.</div><div>Whilst there are many areas in the field in raising children for which technology can be argued as having brought great benefits, drinking is one aspect that has been left behind. More and more leading healthcare specialists are urging parents to go back to basics and drop the “no-spill” gadgets and valves.</div><div>UK-based mum of three, Sara Keel, has launched a range of drinking cups to serve exactly this purpose. ‘Babycup’ is a product that is as simple as you could possibly imagine. No lid, no handles, and best of all no spout. Babycup is purely and simply a ‘cup-shaped cup’, but with the added bonus of being miniature, in order to be perfectly baby-sized. Made from durable, non-toxic plastic, Babycup “is BPA free” and “phthalates free”. It fits neatly in the palm of a young child’s hand. </div><div>Keel, was frustrated by the fact that infant cups are fairly large and for 6 month olds they are often the equivalent of an adult drinking from a bucket. She also disliked the idea of her children constantly drinking from a spout or teat. Working initially on motherly instinct Keel delved deeper into the subject and found an alarming body of “growing concern”, backing up her fear that spouts and no-spill valves were not just without any health benefits, they were potentially damaging for a baby or child’s developing teeth, jaws and palate.</div><div>Malocclusions and Dental Caries</div><div>Regular interference, such as pressure from an intruder like a thumb or spout, is thought to contribute to malformation of the hard palate, leading to malocclusions (incorrect teeth and jaw positions) and the need for “expensive” orthodontic work, in later years.</div><div>The Myofunctional Research Co. states on its website, that muscles are a significant factor in causing malocclusion1. MRCo. goes on to explain that incorrect arch form is responsible for the high prevalence of malocclusion, but the arch is primarily a product of the position of the tongue and function of the lips. They write that the forces exerted on teeth by the lips, and tongue determine tooth position - giving the example that only 1.7 grams of pressure is needed to move teeth. Put this figure alongside their information showing the tongue can exert a force of 500 grams and it is easy to consider that altering the position of the tongue can alter the upper arch and the position of teeth. MRCo. says that children develop most rapidly between the ages of 2 and 5 and that during this period 70% of the growth of a child’s face and jaw occurs. They cite dummies, thumb sucking and baby cups, (not meaning open cups), as contributing to poor facial and dental development. </div><div>Another alarming problem is the potential for tooth decay, or ‘early childhood caries’ (also known as ‘baby bottle caries’, ‘nursing bottle caries’, or ‘sucking cup caries’1). Tooth decay develops when a baby’s mouth is infected by acid-producing bacteria. It also develops when the child’s teeth, and gums, are exposed to any liquids or foods (other than water) for extended periods.</div><div>Cups with lids and spouts, especially those incorporating spill-proof valves, are more likely to be given to children for them to carry around over extended periods, sometimes even being taken to bed. Sugared liquids (that includes milk; but not breastmilk 3 4 5 6 7), from these receptacles, have been shown to increase tooth decay due to the likelihood of drinking beyond just mealtimes. According to the American Academy of Pediactrics ‘tooth decay is the most common chronic infectious disease of childhood.’</div><div>The American Dental Association advises that to help prevent tooth decay children should be encouraged to drink from a cup, by their first birthday.</div><div>An infant and toddler forum factsheet, reviewed and supported by the British Dental Health Foundation, states that all drinks should be taken from a cup or glass, not a bottle. It also reports ‘by the time children are five years old, over 30% of them have dental decay’.</div><div>A change as simple as giving a child an open cup could help improve this worrying statistic. The same factsheet says: “it is easier to prevent decay than to treat it”.</div><div>Bacterial Contamination</div><div>Some studies demonstrate a hygiene, and illness concern, as children who drink from bottles, and sippy cups, are more likely to be drinking liquids that have not been freshly poured and spouts are more difficult to sanitise than an open cup. The World Health Organisation’s website advises that cups are less likely, than bottles, to be carried around for a long time (giving bacteria time to breed).</div><div>Unsteady Feet and Drinking On The Move – An Injury-Prone Combination</div><div>There are also some astounding statistics showing high levels of childhood injuries are due to toddlers drinking from spouted cups whilst walking. 8</div><div>Dr Derek Mohony continues on the problems caused by sipper cups but taking a look at the topic of 'Good Oral Health: Important In Childhood'.</div><div>Article by: Dr Derek Mahony (Specialist Orthodontist) and Dr Julian Keel (Cranial chiropractor) Further information: Dr Derek Mahony – <a href="http://www.derekmahony.com">www.derekmahony.com</a> and <a href="http://www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au">www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au</a></div><div>Graber, TM. “The three M’s: muscle, malformation, and malocclusion.” Am J Ortho Dentofacial Orthop. 1963; June:418-450.Reagan L (2002). Big bad cavities: breastfeeding is not the cause. Mothering 113:38-47.Arnold RR et al (1977). A bactericidal effect on human lactoferrin. Science 197(4300):263-5.Erickson PR, Mazhare E (1999). Investigation of the role of human breast milk in caries development. Pediatric Dentistry 21:86-90. McDougall W (1977). Effect of milk on enamel demineralisation and remineralisation in vitro. Caries Research 40:1025-8.Tinanoff N, O’Sullivan DM (1997). Early childhood caries: overview and recent findings. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.Trotter S (2006). Cup feeding revisited. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, vol 16, no 3, September 2006, p397-402.Injuries associated with bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups in the United States, 1991-2010 SA. Keim and MRW TePoel. Pediatrics Vol.129 No.6 June 1, 2012</div><div>How Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help</div><div>Find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children through our ,  and .</div><div>All articles on this website have a copyright. The use of any material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.</div><div>Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this information is right for your child.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Practical Tips to Combined Feeding</title><description><![CDATA[Continuing on from my last article on Combined Feeding – Breast and Bottle, I’d like to take a look at some practical tips and some of the problems that can occur and steps to help avoid them. There are several practical things that you can do to help increase your supply which I would like to cover. The most important of these is expressing. Practical tips to increasing your supply ExpressingWherever possible the complementary or top up feed should be EBM (Expressed Breast Milk). As previously]]></description><dc:creator>Sally Hall</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2012/12/01/Practical-Tips-to-Combined-Feeding</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2012/12/01/Practical-Tips-to-Combined-Feeding</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:02:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Continuing on from my last article on Combined Feeding – Breast and Bottle, I’d like to take a look at some practical tips and some of the problems that can occur and steps to help avoid them.</div><div>There are several practical things that you can do to help increase your supply which I would like to cover. The most important of these is expressing. </div><div>Practical tips to increasing your supply</div><div>Expressing</div><div>Wherever possible the complementary or top up feed should be EBM (Expressed Breast Milk). As previously mentioned, to increase your supply, the best time to express is immediately after a breastfeed. If you have a low supply you will usually not be able to express any milk after a breast feed except possibly in the morning when your supply is at its greatest. Expressing to increase your supply is not to acquire milk it is to stimulate the breast to make more milk. Any breast milk from these expressing can be given as a top up feed when needed. One thing to remember is that typically what you have expressed does not indicate how much milk baby receives at a feed as your baby is more efficient at extracting milk than manually expressing or machine expressing. </div><div>Sleep and Rest</div><div>When trying to increase your supply you must make an effort to express after every feed. I understand that it is difficult when there are other demands on motherhood but if you are going to miss a session I suggest it is during the night so that you can catch up on your precisions sleep. Sleep and appropriate rest is very important to help increase your supply. An afternoon rest helps to increase your evening supply so try to make time to rest early afternoon. Try to rest or sleep when baby sleeps.</div><div>Diet and Hydration</div><div>Eating a healthy diet and not skipping meals or just snacking on convenient foods is very important to the quality of your breast milk. If you skimp and eat poorly your body will leach the goodness it needs from other supplies, such as your bones, so that your milk contains what is necessary for your growing baby. This is often why mothers have poor teeth, brittle bones, hair and nails calcium is redirected to the breastmilk instead of where it is needed in your body. Include in this is to keep hydrated. The best way to do this is to drinking sufficient water. I suggest taking other drinks in moderation such as fruit juices, carbonated drinks, tea or coffee.</div><div>Exercise</div><div>Exercise is good but when breastfeeding too much exercise or over strenuous exercise is often detrimental to your milk supply as the energy that goes into producing milk is now used in exercise. This is also why rest is very important for milk production. Once the supply is established light exercise can be resumed.</div><div>Stress</div><div>Stress at this time is often difficult to avoid. Mothers may be under stress from sleep deprivation, an unsettled baby, worry if they have enough milk, if they are doing the right thing and trying to live up to the demands of being a mother and wife. If you do have a challenging baby it is not a failure to ask for help of family, friends or professionals. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.</div><div>Problems to avoid with combined feeding</div><div> One of our aims with combined feeding is to encourage baby to be able to take both the breast and the bottle till the breast feeding is sufficient. Another is to have a baby who will happily swap from breast to bottle without refusing one or the other. To achieve both these aims we must also be aware of some of the problems that may occur. While working towards increasing your supply and topping up your baby so that they are not hungry there is a possibility of breast refusal. Baby needs a supplementary feed but you also need baby to feed from the breast to help increase your supply. Offering a bottle after every breast feed can have disastrous results. Babies who are continually toped up after a breastfeed typically choose the easiest option – the bottle and begin to refuse the breast. This is where things can become a little difficult. </div><div>Breast Refusal</div><div>It is not always easy to avoid breast refusal when you have a hungry or low weight baby who needs a supplementary feed. It is suggested instead of topping up your baby after every breastfeed feed your baby 3 hourly or for the morning feeds to encourage baby to suckle at the breast and increase you supply through stimulation and in the afternoons evenings to top baby up after the breastfeed and feed 4 hourly so that both baby and mum are able to rest. During the night, when mum is better rested and her supply is at its greatest, only breastfeed. Limiting the use of the bottle will encourage your baby to look for his/her feed from the breast instead of wait for the bottle.</div><div>Another reason baby may prefer the bottle is because there is less effort needed; it takes 20 mins instead of 45 mins slog at the breast. They, as we do, look for the easier option.</div><div>If your baby needs quite a large top up then I suggest you look into using a Medela SNS or supply line which will encourage baby to stay on the breast while sucking the supplementary feed from a tiny tube attached to the nipple. </div><div> (for more on on breast refusal please read our article: Breast refusal - a disturbing phenomena).</div><div>Bottle refusal</div><div>Bottle refusal usually occurs due to infrequent or lack of experience with a bottle. If a baby is not offered a bottle on a frequent basis from birth they can often refuse a bottle feed from the age of 6weeks and older this can be very inconvenient for mothers who are planning to return to work or those who need to return to hospital. My suggestion is to keep up the bottle feeds even if they are only periodic such as twice or three times a week. This will help to avoid this problem.</div><div>Combined Feeding Plan</div><div>My suggestion is to continue combined feeding once your supply has been established to enable you to have a break and for fathers to become part of the feeding-bonding process. To enable this I suggest that the last feed at night (ie the 10pm feed) becomes dad’s bottle feed. This can be done through offering EBM. Mum can express one hour before this last feed is due. At this time express and try to empty both breasts (or enough for a full feed – babies weight in kg x 150 divided by 6 feeds = the amount in kg needed per bottle) If you cannot express enough for a full feed then I suggest you expressed in the morning after the first breastfeed and saved this to top up your evening bottle. This bottle feed can be done every night or a couple of nights a week and will allow mum to get to bed early and for dad’s to have a one on one time with baby. If done regularly and kept up it will help baby to be able to happily swap between bottle and breast and should help avoid bottle refusal.</div><div>In conclusion</div><div>Combined breast and bottle feeding is not only for those who are looking to increase their milk supply, it is recommended to introduce a regular bottle from birth to encourage baby to be able to adapt to both the breast and the bottle. Having a baby who will happily swap from breast to bottle will enable mums to have a break and an opportunity for fathers to get involved in the feeding. I would suggest that a sipper cup be introduced between 4-6 months so that bottles can be totally replaced by 12 months. This will help prevent other problems that often occur with bottles.</div><div>Other breastfeeding related articles</div><div>• Is My Baby Getting Sufficient Breastmilk? • At What Age Should You Introduce a Bottle? • Breast refusal - a disturbing phenomena • Mastitis a - common breastfeeding fear • Feeding and Speech Development</div><div>Find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children through our e-books, coaching and video courses. All articles on this website have a copyright. The use of any material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this information is right for your child.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Combined Feeding - Breast and Bottle</title><description><![CDATA[In this article I’d like to look at both the benefits and some of the challenges that many face when combined feeding. Combined feeding may not always be a choice. The most common reason is that baby is not receiving enough from the breast and therefore needs a complementary feed. There may be a combination of factors involved such as mothers supply hasn’t yet fully come in, she has a low supply, she has trouble attaching the baby or the baby has trouble attaching which could be due to very]]></description><dc:creator>Sally Hall</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2012/11/01/Combined-Feeding-Breast-and-Bottle</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2012/11/01/Combined-Feeding-Breast-and-Bottle</guid><pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:53:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>In this article I’d like to look at both the benefits and some of the challenges that many face when combined feeding.</div><div> Combined feeding may not always be a choice. The most common reason is that baby is not receiving enough from the breast and therefore needs a complementary feed. There may be a combination of factors involved such as mothers supply hasn’t yet fully come in, she has a low supply, she has trouble attaching the baby or the baby has trouble attaching which could be due to very large, nipple trauma, flat or inverted nipples or baby being premature or having a poor suck. The three main reasons for the need of combined feeding besides a baby who is partially in the care of others, such as a baby in hospital care, which may prevent full breastfeeding are:</div><div>A hungry baby</div><div>One who does not receive enough from breastfeeding and whose mother is in the process of increasing her supply.</div><div>A mother who has a naturally low supply</div><div>She is unable to increase her supply or has a failure to thrive baby – a baby who is not putting on enough weight.</div><div>A mother choice</div><div>Mothers who have chosen or prefer to do both breast and bottle feeding, this incudes mothers who are returning to work. Many breastfeeding mothers are concerned about how much their baby is receiving from the breast especially in the early days when either their supply is low or the baby is sleepy when feeding. I am hoping the following information will help to reassure and assist you in knowing how to increase your supply to give you the confidence to know that your baby is receiving sufficient for their growth and development.</div><div>Building up your supply</div><div>For those who would like to exclusively breast feed you must work on building up your supple within the first few weeks. This means breastfeeding at every feed, not skipping a breastfeed or replacing it with a bottle feed for at least the first 6-8 weeks as it usually takes this long to established a good supply. This means putting your baby to the breast every 2-3 hours until your milk ‘comes in’. Your milk will usually ‘come in’ within the first 3-6 days. Once your milk ‘comes in’ you will not need to feed baby as frequently. Baby, if fed well, should be comfortably full and sleeping between feeds. Feeds should now be 3 ½ to 4 hrs. If you are feeding more frequently than this, either baby is not getting enough or needs to learn how to self settle. Feeding too frequently can cause an oversupply, mastitis and engorgement. Frequent feeds and cluster feeds can also result in an over feeding baby which in turn can cause bloating or reflux. Too frequent feeding or feeding baby to sleep may result in poor sleep routines and or an association with being breastfed to sleep.</div><div>Hungry baby</div><div>If you feel baby is not getting enough at a feed and is still hungry and although your milk has come in it is still not enough to keep baby happy between feeds (that is baby comes off after a feed still hungry) you may need to increase your supply. (for more information on this topic see our article Is My Baby Getting Sufficient Breastmilk?) To increase your milk supply express immediately after every breastfeed on both breasts for 5-10 mins depending on how low your supply is. Some mothers with a very low supply find that natural remedies may assist in increasing their supply. Alternatively inquire with your doctor for drugs such as Motillium which will help increase the milk supply.</div><div>Top up feeds</div><div>During this time of increasing your supply you may need to introduce a top up or complementary bottle feed. This should be done directly after every feed if baby comes off the breast and is still hungry. If baby comes off the breast and is awake and content then she/he does not need a top up feed. It is imperative not to continue topping up after every breastfeed unless it is necessary and should not be continued over a long period of time otherwise your baby may more than likely begin to refuse the breast. (for more on this topic read our article: Breast refusal - a disturbing phenomena). During this time you must also work on increasing your supply). If your baby is unsettled having gone to sleep and then waking unsettled especially in the afternoons (during what is commonly called the witching/arsenic hour), I suggest you offer your baby a top up directly after this breastfeed and express for 5 mins on each side. Try to express immediately after the breast feed. If you are able to express 10 or more mls then I suspect it may not be a low supply. If your baby continues to wake up, after having this top up feed, there may be an underlying problem. For more information on this topic you may like to read our article on Irritable Baby Syndrome - colic/reflux. Top up feeds should always be straight after a breastfeed or within the hour of starting the breastfeed and not after baby has had a short nap or wakes after 45min this is a sleep cycle and baby needs to be resettled. If you have offered baby a top up feed after the breast feed and is settled this usually indicates that your supply may be low. It is preferable to top baby up with only a small amount say 30 -60mls otherwise you may be at the risk of overfeeding your baby. (a helpful article on Formula Feeding) A newborn can take up to 45 mins to feed nutritively, during the feed try to keep baby awake baby to encourage nutritive feeding.</div><div>In our next article we will look at some practical tips to increase your supply and problems to avoid when combined feeding.</div><div>Find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children through our e-books, coaching and video courses. All articles on this website have a copyright. The use of any material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this information is right for your child.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Ins and Outs of Thumb Sucking – How to Kick the Habit!</title><description><![CDATA[Choosing the right time to give up thumb, finger or dummy sucking is important. Choose a time to break the habit when you and your child are not experiencing excessive stress or change in your lives, such as the arrival of a new sibling, a family move, or starting a new school. Children use sucking to relieve stress, and trying to quit during a stressful time increases the chances of failure. Infants have strong and pre-determined sucking reflexes. Finding an object to suck on is an extension of]]></description><dc:creator>Dr Derek Mahony</dc:creator><link>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2012/10/01/The-Ins-and-Outs-of-Thumb-Sucking-%E2%80%93-How-to-Kick-the-Habit-1</link><guid>https://www.cradle2kindy.com.au/single-post/2012/10/01/The-Ins-and-Outs-of-Thumb-Sucking-%E2%80%93-How-to-Kick-the-Habit-1</guid><pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2012 07:52:00 +0000</pubDate><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div><div>Choosing the right time to give up thumb, finger or dummy sucking is important. Choose a time to break the habit when you and your child are not experiencing excessive stress or change in your lives, such as the arrival of a new sibling, a family move, or starting a new school. Children use sucking to relieve stress, and trying to quit during a stressful time increases the chances of failure.</div><div>Infants have strong and pre-determined sucking reflexes. Finding an object to suck on is an extension of this normal behavior and infants associate it with warmth and safety. Endorphins and dopamine produced in the brain during sucking give babies pleasure and comfort.</div><div>About 90 percent of infants in Western cultures engage in what's termed &quot;non-nutritive sucking&quot; (or sucking for purposes other than feeding), on thumbs, fingers, dummies, blankets, or other objects. About half of these children will stop on their own by six or seven months of age but as many as one-third will continue beyond the preschool years.</div><div>It is important that your child is ready to give up thumb sucking. Your child needs to understand why it is a bad habit and this will help them choose to kick the habit.</div><div>Problems can start in the preschool years. Dental Professionals generally become concerned when the adult teeth begin to erupt. In most children, this is around five years of age. Prolonged and vigorous sucking can affect the normal growth and development of the jaws and nasal cavity, speech and breathing. One of the most common dental problems is an anterior open bite where upon closing the mouth, there is a gap between the upper and lower front teeth. Other negative effects include changes in the shape of the palate (roof of the mouth), an overset (the upper front teeth are considerably further forward than they should be), an incorrect swallow pattern and mouth breathing. Some children have a trigger associated with thumb sucking. These can include, a blanket, stuffed animal, playing with one’s hair or mother’s hair and nail biting. The first step is to remove the trigger in a nonthreatening and positive manner. If your child stops thumb sucking by five years of age, there will most likely be no problems. Many Myofunctional Clinics provides fun and friendly programs to help your child kick the habit. Thumb and finger sucking habits are so subconscious that it is important to provide positive reinforcement and motivation for your child. Negative comments may lead to a hidden guilty pleasure. Another option is the use of a TGuard. This product line includes the original, patented ThumbGuard™ device and FingerGuard™ device, and has been a favourite of Dentists, Paediatricians, and Parents since 1995. Why? Because it works. Rather than trying to prevent thumb sucking, the patented technology allows it: but without the suction that creates the pleasure. If you break the suction, you break the habit! With a success rate greater than 95%, it is the most recommended product, in its class, on the market. Further details are available from <a href="http://www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au">www.fullfaceorthodontics.com.au</a></div><div>This article was written by Dr Derek Mahony, Specialist Orthodontist. Full Face Orthodontics Pty Ltd</div><div>How Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help</div><div>Find out how we can provide professional guidance to help you raise your children through our ,  and .</div><div>All articles on this website have a copyright. The use of any material must have permission from Cradle 2 Kindy Parenting Solutions.</div><div>Disclaimer: Article on our website are for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to make sure this information is right for your child.</div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>