Do you have a baby, or is a baby about to enter your life? Do you want to be better prepared for parenthood? Are you looking for practical advice to help you raise a bright and happy baby? Do you want to establish a deep and lasting bond with your child?
Keys to Baby opens the door to that world of wonder and mystery that Baby lives in. Discover the amazing person your baby is and can become through love, understanding and guidance.
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A touching slideshow presentation for mothers and mothers-to-be. (To download the file, right click on the file icon under the presentation and select "save" or "save as"...
By Samuel Keating For my daughter Audrey’s first birthday, my wife and I planned to have a small celebration with a few friends and family members at home; instead we ended up with a cupcake-themed extravaganza at the restaurant her grandparents manage. Admittedly, it was probably more for everyone else’s benefit. Audrey spent much of the time observing the proceedings warily from the safety of someone’s arms and flatly refused to pose for photos by her lone candle, despite (or because of) much encouragement to do so. People talk about how fast time flies, and I feel it really does. Maybe that’s because I’m getting older. When I was a child, days, weeks, and months—not to mention years—seemed to pass so slowly; now it seems like only a few weeks ago that I first met Audrey. I remember that day so well, along with all my first impressions and emotions as I watched the nurse give Audrey her first bath, and then her falling asleep in my arms for the first time. Before she was born, I often heard parents talk about the joys of having children, but I wasn’t convinced. I believed those parents truly thought they were happy, but I didn’t understand how. Weren’t their lives more stressful, tiring, and hectic than before? Didn’t they have less free time? Weren’t they embarrassed by their children turning over a plate of food, frazzled by their children’s whininess when they were tired, annoyed by their clinginess or repeated petty disobediences? I was sure I would be. While I enjoyed being around other people’s children, I felt I valued my time and comfort too much to ever have any of my own. Now, however, I can’t imagine my life without Audrey. Every smile, every peal of laughter, every new discovery she makes, every new toy she masters, every animal sound she learns fills me with deep happiness and gratitude for her presence in my life. Her latest discovery is that a piercing shriek is an effective way to get my attention when she wants me to play with her or read her a book, but even that doesn’t take away from the love I feel for her or the happiness she brings. Article and photo courtesy of Activated magazine.
Alison Gopnik, Andrew Meltzoff, and Patricia Kuhl
This breezy work of popular science sets out to describe the minds of very young children as revealed by “twenty-five years of research in philosophy, psychology, computer science, linguistics and neuroscience.” The results will gratify new parents: your baby is a genius, just as you thought. Although their brains are much lighter, babies are born with as many neurons as adults. A three-year-old’s brain is twice as active as his mother’s. Babies can distinguish the sounds of all languages with equal clarity; Japanese babies clearly hear the difference between English “rake” and “lake” that mystifies their parents. Parents beware—babies are learning more, and faster, than they will at any time in their lives. On their first day, they show particular interest in the faces that go with voices they remember hearing in the womb, and can already copy facial expressions. Even before they are two, babies are capable of empathy. When one of the authors burst into tears after a long day at the office, her baby son fetched Band-Aids from the bathroom and stuck them all over her. And, like scientists, babies test out their theories. These authors believe toddlers in their “terrible twos” watch the reactions of aggrieved adults as if they were laboratory rats. “Babies are already as smart as they can be. They are designed to learn … most of all by playing with the people that love them.” Suzanne Schlosberg
1. “Would you please take off this sweater?” Just because the air is a tad brisk outside doesn’t mean your baby needs to be dressed for dogsledding in Siberia. Parents tend to overdress infants, who get cranky when they’re hot and sweaty—just like adults do. The fix: Dress your baby in the same number of layers as you’re wearing. If you’re not sure whether she’s too hot or too cold, put a warm hand on her tummy or back to gauge her body temperature. A baby’s feet, hands, or cheeks can often seem cool even when she’s comfortable. (The nape of the neck is also a good place to check if the baby is the right warmth. If it’s a bit sweaty, the baby is probably overdressed. It should be warm and dry. A sneeze doesn’t necessarily indicate that the baby is chilled.) 2. “Can’t we all just get along?” Babies don’t understand sentences such as, “I can’t believe you forgot to pay the Visa bill,” or “Why can’t you ever take out the trash without being reminded?” But they can sense when Mom and Dad are fighting—and they don’t like it. If there’s tension or raised voices, a baby can pick up on that and may become fussy. The fix: Occasional arguments with your husband will happen (especially given the intense demands of caring for a baby). But try to express your feelings calmly so that you create a consistent, soothing environment. 3. “I’m totally stressed out!” Too much noise, movement, or bright light—at the mall, a crowded coffee shop, or a family party—can drive a baby to tears. And after a point, too much stimulation of any kind—even being left in a doorway jumper for 20 minutes or surrounded by too many toys—can overwhelm her. The fix: Every child has a different breaking point, so pay close attention to how your baby handles commotion. Keep visits to busy stores short, eat at restaurants in the off-hours (when they’re quieter), and introduce new toys—even noise-free ones—in small doses. Also schedule some quiet time after an outing so your revved-up child can settle down. (Parties or gatherings can be a difficult environment for babies to deal with, particularly if they’re not able to go to sleep at their usual time. The noise and the activity can be overstimulating for them, or tire them out quicker than usual.) 4. “My tummy hurts!” There’s no shortage of reasons why your baby might have stomach discomfort. He could have a painful buildup of gas. He might be constipated. Formula-fed babies can develop milk sensitivity or a milk allergy, both of which can cause cramps along with mucous poop. Or your child could have reflux, in which food contents from the stomach splash back into the esophagus. The fix: First try burping your baby more often and position him upright after meals. You can also reduce gas by massaging his tummy gently or pedaling his legs. If you’re nursing, try using one breast for the entire feed instead of switching. The milk that comes out first is higher in lactose than the “hind milk” that follows. For bottle-fed babies, switch to a low-flow nipple so your child swallows less air when he drinks. Don’t panic if your baby spits up on occasion, but ask your doctor about gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if the symptoms become chronic or your child seems in distress. 5. “Ouch, I’m being pinched!” Your baby could have a hair or a loose thread wrapped around her toe or finger, cutting off the circulation and causing pain and swelling. It’s more common than many parents realize. Other possibilities: Your baby’s skin is irritated by a label or a zipper, or the car-seat belt or stroller straps are chafing her. The fix: Undress your baby, and inspect her toes and fingers. If you find a hair, try unwrapping it, or cutting it with little scissors. If you have a boy, keep in mind that a hair can even get wrapped around the penis. Also check zippers and adjust any too-tight straps. 6. “I’m feeling lonely over here.” Between 6 and 9 months, your baby will learn that he’s a separate being from you, which is good. But he may start to cry as soon as you leave the room because he misses you. Which is good—and bad. The fix: If you notice a momentary separation is triggering a meltdown, stop what you’re doing and show him a little love. Sometimes just seeing you or being cuddled will stop the tears. A gentle massage or some light pats on the back will also help reassure him that when you go away, you’ll always come back. 7. “I’m starving!” Your baby just ate an hour ago, so you’re sure it’s not time for another meal. Or is it? If she’s going through a growth spurt, her tears might mean, “Waitress, I’d like another course.” These spurts typically occur at 2, 3, and 6 weeks, and at 3 and 6 months, and they last about two days. Still, babies don’t tend to check their calendar, so one might happen at any time. The fix: Is your baby really hungry? The best test is to put her in the stroller or a sling and go for a walk. If she falls asleep or calms down quickly, she doesn’t need food. But if she screams her way around the block, offer her a breast or a bottle. Don’t worry—it’s really not possible to overfeed a breastfed baby. 8. “This wall I’m staring at is getting a little old.” Spending an hour in the same chair in the same corner of the same room is the baby equivalent of being confined to an office cubicle all day: not a lot of fun. Although some infants have a higher tolerance than others for staying in one place, all babies get bored and appreciate a change of scenery. The fix: Encourage your child’s natural love of exploration by moving him to another room, taking him to the park, or running some errands together. Don’t have time to wander? Simply talking and interacting with him is a great antidote for boredom. Babies are very social. They love being around you, listening to you, and learning from you. To children, no one in the whole world is more beautiful than their own loving mothers. Young children don’t think of their mothers in terms of fashion sense, great taste in jewelry, or perfect hair and nails. They also don’t notice stretch marks or gray hairs. Their little minds are oblivious to those things that tend to skew adults’ perceptions and expectations regarding beauty, so they’re actually better judges of what makes a woman truly beautiful. Where do children find beauty?—In the eyes that convey pride in their achievements, in the lips that encourage and instruct, in the kisses that make small hurts bearable, in the soothing voice that puts them back to sleep after a bad dream, in the wrap-around love of a soft warm hug. Where does such beauty come from?—With motherhood comes self-sacrifice, but from self-sacrifice comes humility, from humility comes grace, and from grace comes true beauty. A mother embodies life, love, and purity in the giving of herself to her children, and in these she is a reflection of God’s love for His children. This is why I believe that nothing makes a woman more beautiful than motherhood. -- Saskia Smith The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rules the World What an important job a mother has! The mothers of the next generation are the ones who are molding the future. Motherhood is just about the greatest calling in the world. Of course, taking care of a baby may not always seem very important, but don’t ever minimize it. Who knows what an impact that child may have on the lives of many others one day. The thing that makes a mother so wonderful is her self-sacrificial spirit that is willing to sacrifice her time and strength and even her own health, if necessary, for the sake of that child. Any woman can have a baby, but it takes a real mother to learn how to “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). —D.B. Berg Excerpted from Activated Magazine. Used with permission. The Chinese have traditionally counted a baby as one year old when he or she is born, and they have a point. The baby has already been alive before birth, and what has changed is merely the baby’s environment. Thanks to pioneering medical imaging technology, such as 4D ultrasound, we can watch a fetus as it sucks its thumb, blinks, yawns, smiles, and moves inside the womb, leaving no question that it is a unique living soul before birth. --Abi F. May * Imagine yourself as the world’s tallest skyscraper, built in nine months and germinating from a single brick. As that brick divides, it gives rise to every other type of material needed to construct and operate the finished tower—a million tons of steel, concrete, mortar, insulation, tile, wood, granite, solvents, carpet, cable, pipe, and glass, as well as all furniture, phone systems, heating and cooling units, plumbing, electrical wiring, artwork, and computer networks, including software. --Alexander Tsiaras and Barry Werth, From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds * Science has its explanations for how children come into being, but when you first hold your baby and look into those little eyes, you know that you are holding a miracle. You are looking at one of the great mysteries of the universe—a glimpse of Heaven and the creative power of God. There in your arms is tangible proof of the love God has for you, for He has chosen you to parent a new soul.--Derek and Michelle Brookes, Keys to Baby * There is a miracle beyond my comprehension, one that takes place daily. A sperm joins with an egg to form a single cell, smaller than a grain of salt. This one cell contains the complex genetic blueprint for every detail of human development, including the child’s gender, hair and eye color, height, skin tone, and much more. Within four days, the fertilized egg has traveled into the womb. At three weeks, the foundations of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system are established, and the heart begins to beat. At one month, arms, legs, eyes, and ears have begun to show. The heart is pumping blood through the circulatory system. By six weeks, the rapidly developing brain begins to control movement of muscles and organs. At week nine, the developing life is now called a “fetus”—Latin for “young one.” At three months, the baby is perfectly formed. He has fingernails and toenails, and he can raise his eyebrows, wrinkle his forehead, and turn his head. At 16 weeks, the baby is a little over one third the size he will be at birth. At five months, the baby’s hair, eyelashes, and nails are growing. The rest of the time in the womb will be spent in preparation for birth, which is usually at 40 weeks, although nowadays babies born at even as little as 22 weeks have a chance of survival. Finally comes the grand exit from the security of the womb into the world. All of the possibilities, pleasures, and pains that life brings have begun for yet another human being. How can a single cell grow into a fully formed baby in nine months? We don’t have to understand. We can simply rejoice in the wonderful gift of life that the Creator has bestowed upon us! – Abi F. May Excerpted from Activated magazine. Used with permission.
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