swad·dle: to wrap (an infant) with swaddling clothes; envelop, swathe

As a nurse, Lynette knew of many reasons why swaddling is important, yet she discovered that often people did not know how to swaddle effectively, couldn’t remember how to swaddle, or simply did not have the right kind of blanket to bundle their babies. Read the rest »

Since its conception 9000 years ago, cow milk production has drastically changed. In the early 1900’s, scientists began experimenting with ways in increase milk supply without having to increase numbers of dairy cows. They began artificially selecting to breed cows that provided more milk, feeding them grain diets, exposing them to light longer, giving them oral or subcutaneous injections of anabolic hormones, and increasing use of antibiotics. Read the rest »

Looking for something to keep your children silently occupied in the doctor’s office, at restaurants, on the airplane and in the car? Clever Parents recommends the Peek-A-Boo bag, a 6.5″ square stuffed bean bag featuring courdoroy fabric on one side and a see-through vinyl window on the other. Read the rest »

In August, we found out that financial aid offices at universities were getting paid by student loan providers for creating a situation in which prospective students saw limited loan options. Later in the month, one of my favorite New York Times investigative reporters, Diane Jean Schemo, wrote about a similar market-fixing situation among popular “study abroad” programs. In some cases, it is charged that colleges received cash rebates for restricting a student’s choice of programs international to the chosen few. While the office of New York Attorney General investigates these alleged misdeeds, the major industry trade association is starting to make noises about writing guidelines and self regulation. Read the rest »

We are working on our fourth zone this week. For me that is my living room, family room and dining room. If you have decided to define zones differently in your home, just adjust these challenges to best suit your needs.

Sit down with a piece of paper and write down everything that you would like to get done in these areas this week. Be realistic with how much time you have to work on this project. Break each job into small achievable tasks. Below is a sample of my list:

Purge

• Dust furniture
• Dust walls, ceilings, corners, ceiling fans
• Thorough vacuum of the room including corners and under furniture
• Take down curtains and wash according to directions
• Clean windows & windowsills
• Purge and clean knick knacks
• Wash baseboards, radiators, doors, etc.
• Decorate for Fall

Read the rest »

Q. I read your article on Biting, Pushing and Pulling Hair, and I had a question. My daughter is 19mths old and is very aggressive at daycare. She pinches at home once in awhile, but normally is well behaved. What can I do for her at home?

Good question! Here’s what I think you can try.

Any child who hits or hurts other children does this because she’s sitting on top feelings of fear. Hidden fears tighten a child, so that she has little flexibility around others: sharing may be hard, following what others ask her to do might be hard, noticing what other children want to do is hard. Her mind is spending lots of energy trying to keep one step ahead of some underlying sense of insecurity. She may keep herself “busy” with toys or with physical activity, but when she gets close to another child, she can’t help but show that not all is well on the inside. She doesn’t feel connected. Read the rest »

Boston Mamas: Postpartum Depression Call to Action. The Blog Day for postpartum depression has passed, but it’s not too late to make your voice heard via a quick call or email to your senator. More…

Healthy Bump: A Wonderful Cure for Boo Boos Next time your little one hurts themselves make sure to have a Boo-Bunny on hand to make them feel better. More…

Moms’ Buzz: 7 Ways to Keep the Germs Away! As the weather changes, children are back in school and we are out and about, we bring along germs into our homes. The good news is that it’s not rocket science what you need to do to keep a family well-protected from bug-borne illness. Just follow these seven basic steps! More…

One Chic Mama: Shoes That Walk the Walk We test drove several pairs of Vincent pre-walkers and love these shoes! More…

Classy Mommy: Stride Rite Shoe Giveaway! Win a pair of stylish Fall Shoes from Stride Rite! Classy Mommy reviewed several pairs and they are all super cute and totally functional for the playround too! More…

MomFinds: Tiny Revolutionary Tees Giveaway Win two tees from Tiny Revolutionary and start a fashion revolution. Super-soft, sweatshop-free and socially-conscious, all the tees have positive messages that celebrate the modern family and the modern world. More…