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10 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep

10 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep

baby, FAM By July 3, 2012 Tags: , , , , 3 Comments

Up to 30 % of parents of young children encounter difficulty with getting their little ones to fall asleep or stay asleep. Sleep is important for children’s health and development.  Lack of sleep in children is known to cause learning and memory deficits resulting in difficulty attaining age appropriate milestones for younger children and poor academic performance in school aged children. It is also reported that lack of sleep in children can result in irritability, depression, hyperactivity and aggression. Moreover, disturbed sleep in children often causes stress on the entire family. Contrary to belief, children do not outgrow sleep problems and if left untreated, sleep disorders are more likely to persist, but many still struggle with ways to get your baby to sleep?

In order for children to learn and develop, they need to be well rested to be at their optimum for taking in new information and accomplishing motor and cognitive milestones. Parents should practice and teach their children good sleep hygiene techniques to promote better sleep.  The term sleep hygiene relates to sleep behaviours that expose a child to activities and cues that prepare and promote them for well timed and effective sleep.  Here is a top 10 list of good sleep hygiene practices to teach your children:

10 Ways to Get Your Baby to Sleep

•    Being active during the day. Age appropriate activities are essential to help children establish good sleep-wake cycles. It exposes them to daylight and activities throughout the day which is thought to help increase the release of a hormone (melatonin) at night to help children sleep. Activities for an infant such as tummy time or a toddler playing at a park on swings, climbing, sliding etc… Children are meant to move and sedentary activities such as television are thought to hinder a good night’s sleep.

•    Routines help children understand what is coming next; this allows them to anticipate what is happening in their day.

•    Establish a bedtime routine to allow them to wind down and get themselves ready to transition from wake to sleep. Take approximately 30 mins of quiet time doing relaxing activities prior to getting your child to sleep.

•    Keep to a fairly predictable schedule during the week and weekends e.g. bedtime/naptimes should not vary more than one hour either side of regular bedtime. Most children are in bed by 730pm every night. Autumn is the best time to put children to bed earlier and benefit from the daylight savings time change to help with the transition.

•    Try not to feed your child food containing caffeine 4-6 hours prior to bedtime (e.g. cookies or muffins containing chocolate), it acts as a stimulant and keeps children awake.

•    The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends no television for children under two years of age. If you let your child watch television ensure that they do not watch any at least 2 hours prior to bedtime, this activity stimulates children instead of calming them. Try reading a favourite book or singing some bedtime songs to help transition them to calmer activities.

•    For younger children, research studies report that infants who learn to settle themselves are more likely to discover self-soothing techniques and are better sleepers by 6 months than infants whose caregivers assist infants to sleep through various activities e.g. feeding or rocking to sleep.

This does not mean letting your child cry it out but rather letting them settle themselves.

•    Noise reduces sleep time, especially in deep sleep, and increases light sleep e.g. a party going on at next door neighbours. During light sleep, noises can wake a person more easily. Try using a white noise machine.

•    When the room temperature is too hot, time in deep sleep is decreased. In a room too cold, it takes longer for a person to get to sleep. Recommended room temperature for sleeping is between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Need more ideas? We’ve rounded up the ‘experts’ – Elizabeth Pantley and Richard Ferber.

Jennifer Garden, a registered health professional (occupational therapist) and mother of two year old twins!

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The Top 100 Things All Canadians Should Know

The Top 100 Things All Canadians Should Know

FAM, kids By June 26, 2012 Tags: , , No Comments

In preparing for Canada Day, we often reminisce about times gone by.  But have we perhaps been lazy with our heritage and our own education?  Here are the top 100 things all Canadians should know about – either at a cocktail party or in answer to your children’s questions.  We’re bracing ourselves for lots of comments about what we may be missing…  please add your thoughts below.  We sometimes forget that we are our children’s best teachers and role models.  So if a few of these things are fuzzy in your mind… you’ve got a fun activity brewing for the long weekend.

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Chinese Gender Prediction Chart

Chinese Gender Prediction Chart

FAM, pregnancy By May 26, 2012 8 Comments

We know all you want is for your baby to be healthy…but what you’re dying to know is whether your baby will be a boy or a girl.  And like with many questions, the Chinese have answers.  Enter the Chinese Gender Prediction Chart.  What your baby’s name will be, how you decorate the nursery and what styles of clothes you buy for the wee one is all dependent on its gender. It’s the big burning question and this ancient Chinese chart can predict your child’s gender…with (technically) about 50% accuracy.  But it’s fun.  And some say, a very accurate measure.

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Maternity Shopping Guidelines

FAM, GEAR, pregnancy, style By May 25, 2012 Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

Maternity Clothing ListIf you can only afford to purchase a few key items, stick with the essentials. You are going to be wearing these pieces for the next few months, so go for quality over quantity. (e.g. a great pair of jeans will be worn more times than you can count).

  1. Choose pants that have either an expandable cotton/lycra front panel, or an adjustable waistline. These will provide you with comfort as your belly grows, and maintain a good fit.
  2. Dress up your basic black pants with a trendy top, a dressy blazer or shrug.
  3. Accessorize your wardrobe. Be creative, and have some fun. You can change your look by simply adding a stack of chunky bracelets, dangly earrings, or a long beaded necklace to update your look.
  4. Most of you will “live” in your maternity clothes, and we encourage you to buy clothing that reflects your personal style and taste so you can feel like yourself and enjoy your changing body.

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Feeling Beauty with the Photography of Kyrani Kanavaros

FAM, self By May 24, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

I’m a lot of things, but I’ve never considered myself a model.  It could be the height.  Or the hips.  Or just a fear of a huge camera in my face and never being able to imagine ‘making love’ to it.  Then people quietly told me about this goddess of a photographer.  I saw some of her shots, and convinced myself she must work only with models.  The women were stunning.  The lighting was breathtaking.  I decided to take the plunge and go to a ‘Glamour Session’.  Maybe one would turn out….one of my back!  (Ha Ha…. Incidentally I just got some stats from the Dove Movement for Self-Esteem:  “60% of our girls abstain from everyday activities because of self-doubt and only 4% of women all around the world consider themselves beautiful.”  I think it’s time to change that.  And if anyone can make someone feel beautiful, it’s Kyrani Kanavaros.

On the actual day of my shoot, I woke with glassy eyes.  I felt sick as a dog.  I trundled to East Vancouver, ascending the stairs of Studio B at Sugar Studios – nervous, dragging my feet with ringing ears and trepidation.  Not even one would turn out.  I could feel it.  I looked like the bottom of a shoe.  (And that was one of my more positive bit of self-talk).  I began the ‘process’ and there was complete calm.  Was it the champagne?  Croissants?  No.  I think it had to do with the sunshine, the professionals in the room who had mastered their crafts, and the pure artistic fun that was created.  Kyrani walked into the studio and I knew that I was in good hands.  We hugged and chatted about kids.  She found out my goals for the photos and learned about me.

First, to the makeup.  Wow.  Kendra Lovick from Beautymark made my skin glow!  How – I don’t quite know but intend to find out.  As we went along, she offered tips and tricks that I wish I’d made notes on.  When you do this – record it.  You’ll never need to run panicked to a department store makeup counter 5 minutes before date night again.  (Not that I’ve ever done that).  Kendra applied cutting-edge products as the other pros buzzed around, joking and taking coffee orders.  It had the warm and fuzziness of a supportive knitting bee with an edge of NYC Greenwich Village-Vogue-style session thrown on top.

Next was styling with Helen Baker of Stylefinder.  She had purchased several suits, dresses and high-fashion pieces that she mixed with shoes and funky jewellery.  I loved the Jacqueline Conoir suit and dress.  Total Mad Men.  Not once did she smirk that a piece may be too tight.  She studied me with eyes of a pro and the creativity of, well, a top stylist.  Her hands flew over the racks and I was set with outfits.  And she let me try things out of my comfort zone – see the green dress below.  First up?  A red dress with black stilettos.  I’d never used a stylist for a shoot before and would never do another without.  No shot was wasted because prior to Kyrani effortlessly clicking away, Helen was ‘on’ me fluffing, hiding straps and fixing my hair.  How could I have functioned without this woman in my life for so many years?  PS.  Can you be my date-night shadow?

Kyrani is one of those photographers with a gift.  Is it her 6th sense? Ability to make you feel beautiful?  Mastery of the camera? Energy she feeds her subject?  Effortless way of shooting in order to capture the essence of YOU?  I have absolutely no idea.  I can’t even figure out how not to keep photographing my thumb – let alone make magic out of an everyday woman.  I just know that I’m going to book another session.  And so is my husband.  And I would give anything to enable those 96% of women everywhere who do not consider themselves beautiful to be touched by the Klik Photographic team.

www.klikphotographic.com

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Yes. I am Mom Enough, thanks Time Magazine

FAM, self By May 12, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , 4 Comments

What a year it’s been for parenting to be in the spotlight.  With What to Expect When You’re Expecting about to debut, the ‘Mommy Wars‘ surrounding Hilary Rosen’s comments about Ann Romney being a SAHM, and now Time Magazine’s provocative cover.  For me, it’s not the image but the headline.  The article inside is pretty tame – facts and ideas about attachment parenting that surfaced 20 years ago and have always caused judgement and quibbles in the nicest of mommy groups.

“Are you mom enough?”  Seriously?  Time Magazine should be ashamed.  There are gimmicks to get people in grocery store lines to snag a magazine but this headline is in seriously poor taste.  As if Moms aren’t hard enough on themselves.  The reason I run UrbanMommies and UrbanDaddies is that when I had young kids I felt isolated, judged and condescended.  I was so immersed in the ‘shoulds’ of attachment parenting that I neglected the needs of myself as a woman and human being.  I am thrilled that more parents are nursing and wearing their babies.  But mothers and fathers are also losing sight of their own needs.  Dr. Sears is a brilliant physician with great ideas, but like with all ‘religions’, if taken to the extreme or used out of context, chaos ensues.

Both of my kids had colic for 18 months.  (I’m hoping the brain-synapse theory of colic is true and it just means they are smart).  They were high needs babies.  I wore them both in a sling or carrier hours every day.  The massage bills added up.  And I didn’t shower much.  The boys wouldn’t go in a stroller without screaming so I just sacrificed my body and hoped that the skeleton would hold out.  They slept in my bed for a few weeks and they snacked on breast milk whenever they were inclined.  I was exhausted, drained, burnt out and my milk supply dwindled due to lack of self-care.

So I read all of the books about ‘gentle’ ways to train them to sleep.  (This is where you hear people start growling as we get into the Pantley vs. Ferber debate.)  In a nutshell, I tried all of the gentle stuff.  For weeks.  I was still exhausted.  They wouldn’t settle.  The guilt was overwhelming and everyone weighed in.  Nurses, paediatricians, friends, helplines, and my elders.  So now I was exhausted and demoralized, questioning my parenting and values.  As soon as I shut out the ‘advisors’, I had an epiphany.  I decided I needed to care for myself, my marriage, my health.  Follow my instincts.  I knew my baby and my family.  The others didn’t carry a kid in their belly and have a head emerge from their ‘Lady Garden’ (quoting the Bloggess on CNN – brilliant).  I was no good to my kids if I was an exhausted and irritated mess.

So I let them cry a bit.  Yes, a ‘modified’ Ferber approach.  I put them in a crib.  I took off whatever stinky t-shirt I was wearing and tucked it into their hands, hoping my smell would calm them and vindicate me.  I went back often, leaving them a bit longer each time.  They were stubborn but after a time, they both learned to sleep.  Some mom friends stopped talking to me.  I was the devil.  But my milk supply returned.  The colour came back to my cheeks.  I still carried them in a sling all the time.  I nursed until they were 18 months (and I was at my thinnest – why the hell did I stop?!) and I still carry and cuddle them.  They are very attached and loving.

So I used my instincts as a parent to do what was best for my family and kids.  I stopped listening to the know-it-all Moms who were trying to justify their own decisions by criticizing mine.  And I developed enough confidence and belief in my intuition to pour my heart and soul into a company that would hopefully help other moms to trust their own decisions and take time to care for themselves.  So yes, Time Magazine.  I am Mom enough, and I would argue that all Moms, whatever their decisions on breast/bottle, sleep training, baby wearing or whether they stay at home or work outside are all Mom enough.  We are all doing the best we can.  As we shared yesterday through Facebook, “There is no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one”.

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Conception Tips: How to Get Pregnant, Faster

FAM, pregnancy By April 4, 2012 Tags: , , , , 25 Comments

 

It’s ironic that women spend so much time and money on avoiding pregnancy–and then, once we want a baby, we want it right now! Unless you or your partner have fertility problems, conception will happen, eventually, but sometimes it seems to take much longer than we’d like. There are all kinds of ways to speed things along that don’t include fertility drugs. Here are some tips on how to get pregnant, faster.

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Snack tips for kids from an expert nutritionist

Snack tips for kids from an expert nutritionist

FAM, self By April 3, 2012 Tags: , , , , , No Comments

Tina Stewart is a registered dietitian for the President’s Choice® product development team. As a busy Toronto mom of two, Tina has a number of tips to offer for choosing healthier foods and filling your grocery cart with them.  (Keep reading for a bang-on dinner recipe, snack tips and solutions making sure you leave the grocery store with healthful products – even with the kids in tow.)

Q.  What are your top 5 snacks to give kids?

I always look to balance nutrition and fun with snacks for my kids. Here are my five favourite go-to options:

1. Ants on a log! This classic snack is quick and easy to make: celery sticks with peanut butter (or any other kind of nut butter) in the groove topped with a few raisins as ants.  My son has a peanut allergy, so I use soy butter. This snack provides carbohydrate and protein, and is a fun way to get your picky-eater to eat.

2. Veggies and Dip- An assortment of colourful vegetables such as mini carrots, celery and sliced peppers with a yogurt based dip is a great way to get vitamin, minerals and protein.  I use PC 0% Plain Greek yogurt and mix with PCBM Ranch or Caesar dressing as a dip for vegetables.  Another alternative is to try hummus as a dip for vegetables.  These are both favourite after school snacks.

3.  Crackers and Cheese. Choosing whole grain crackers that are source of fibre, improves the nutrient value of this snack, and cheese is an excellent source of calcium.

4. Creating a tasting plate. A selection of apple pieces, carrot sticks, crackers, cheese and/or  nuts.  You can add a new item every week, such as dried fruit, to help your child discover new foods they haven’t tried before.

5. Every once in a while, a frozen treat can be a great snack, but it’s about making the healthy selection for your kids.  I give my kids the PC® Blue MenuTM Greek Yogurt Smoothie Bars in mango to devour. They’re incredibly creamy, so kids believe they are ice cream, but I know they are getting probiotic cultures, and they’re low in fat.

 

Q. When you’re at the grocery store with kids in tow, how do you make sure that healthy options get into your cart?

When you’re at the grocery store, reading nutrition labels is important to make the healthy choice, but that can be difficult with kids wanting to run up and down the aisles. Try to turn shopping into a game for your kids.  At Real Canadian Superstore, they have added easy to view symbols on their PC® Blue MenuTM products which indicate increased fibre, or reduced fat and sodium, as examples.  I enlist my own kids to help me find the foods with the arrows when we’re looking at a specific shelf.  Not only does it keep the kids entertained and busy, but it has also helped me teach them about nutrition with the easy to view symbols.

Q.  Favourite place to travel:

Although I have not been there for a while, I would say my favourite place to travel is Europe.  I have  a particular affinity for Italy and France.   I love learning about history and the rich cultures of each of these countries. And of course, who could forget about the wonderful food!

Q. Cannot-live-without gadget

I cannot live without my blender.  I use it to make smoothies for a quick addition to breakfast or as a snack. It also comes in very handy for pureeing my favourite vegetable soups.

Q. Go-to ‘Mom’ attire

My favourite go-to Mom attire is definitely yoga pants and t-shirt.  When you are a busy mom on the-go, these can be paired with a comfy pair of runners and away you go.

Q.  Favourite kid-friendly dinner to make.

We like to do theme nights at our house, and this gives the kids something to look forward to. The other day I made a twist on lasagna that they loved for Mexican night: a Burrito Casserole. Instead of traditional layers of pasta, I used the PC® Blue MenuTM 100% Whole Grain Whole Wheat Tortillas for a nutritious portion of fibre.  For the filling I used vegetarian crumble as an alternative to meat, and then added vegetables to make the meal healthy, without sacrificing flavour. The recipe is found on PC.ca, but I want to share it with you. The kids, and my husband, loved it!

Burrito Casserole

Ingredients

2 tbsp (25 mL) PC® 100% Pure Canola Oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ tsp (4 mL) ground cumin
1 pkg (454 g) PC® Blue MenuTM Vegetarian Ground Crumble
1 pouch (283 g) PC® Cooked Whole Grain Brown Rice Sides
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) PC® Blue MenuTM Black Beans PC Blue Menu Black Beans
1 jar (430 mL) PC® Salsa – Mild
1 pkg (390 g) PC® Blue MenuTM 100% Whole Grain Whole Wheat Tortillas
2 cups (500 mL) PC® Blue MenuTM Tex-Mex Light Shredded Cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray 13 x 9 inch (3 L) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion for about 4 minutes, stirring, or until softened. Stir in garlic and cumin; cook for 1 minute. Stir in frozen meatless ground beef, frozen rice, beans, 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) of the salsa, and ½ cup (125 mL) water. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until heated through. Set aside.
  3. Cover bottom of prepared baking dish with two tortillas. Spread with half of burrito mixture and sprinkle with ½ cup (125 mL) of the cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with remaining 2 tortillas. Spread with remaining salsa and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil.
  4. Bake in centre of oven for 30 minutes. Uncover; broil for 3 minutes or until top is golden.

Chef’s Tips

Serve sprinkled with 1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped green onions, with light sour cream and sliced avocado on the side, if desired

Q. I’m currently reading this book..

Pride and Prejudice, a classic novel by Jane Austen.   I think that this is the fourth time that I have read this book, but I just love it.  I recently purchased an e-reader and it came pre-loaded with all the classics, so I am getting myself reacquainted with all my favorite novels.

Q.  My child’s birthday party this year will involve…some kind of physical activity such as swimming, karate or an indoor play area.  I have two very active boys that have energy to burn so I find that parties that include physical activity are a great way to provide some healthy fun!

Q.  Is there 1 food that children should try to eat every week?

There isn’t just one food, in fact what is most important is that children—and adults too— eat a variety of foods from the different food groups each week, and each day.  Fresh produce, protein, whole grain, and dairy product such as milk and cheese will help ensure your child consumes the necessary nutrients and vitamins they need to have energy for the day, while growing up healthy and strong.  Planning your meals the week before can help you double check that you’ve included nutritious items each and every day, and save you from the “what should I make for dinner?” moment.

Q.  What about ‘hiding’ nutritious food inside sauces and baking.  Good idea or bad?

I think that “hiding” nutritious foods inside other items can be used to improve the nutrition of certain items such as extra vegetables in sauce or added fruit in muffins.  I don’t think that this strategy should be used to trick our kids into eating fruits and vegetables.   Children may need to try a food several times before they will accept it and just like adults there may be some foods that they will never accept.  I think the focus should be on offering a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables and allowing children to develop a taste for these foods and eating habits that will last a lifetime.

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