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Tips for Relieving Newborn Constipation

A couple of years ago I needed some tips for relieving newborn constipation when my niece asked me to keep her infant daughter while she returned to work. I never had any children so her mother had to tell me what to do when the baby was constipated.
Since then I’ve asked some mothers how they dealt with newborn constipation. I learned that one of the reasons for infant constipation is the iron contained in infant formula; some babies don’t need the additional iron. Some babies have allergies, usually to formula, which can cause constipation, although one woman shared that her son was actually allergic to the water she was using to mix his formula with.

In no particular order, here are some of the best tips for relieving newborn constipation:

Fruit Juice

Diluted apple or prune juice is one of the more popular methods for relieving infant constipation that I heard. However, it shouldn’t be used for infants under 3-4 months, and should always be diluted. The acid content of some fruit juices can contribute to diaper rash unless diluted with water.

Karo Syrup

Another of the more common cures for newborn constipation is Karo corn syrup. Some used the light or dark corn syrup, while others insisted that only the light corn syrup should be used. Mix 1-3 tablespoons of the syrup in a bottle of warm water. NOTE: Since corn syrup has been linked to obesity, you may want to limit its use.

Applesauce

Once the baby is taking baby food, applesauce will usually keep them regular, and they also enjoy the flavor. If the baby is too young for baby food, try mixing a little applesauce with rice cereal and diluting it so it can be drunk out of a bottle.

Oatmeal

One woman found that her baby’s constipation would be eased when she fed him formula to which oatmeal baby cereal had been added.

Massage

Massage can be accomplished in two different ways. The first is to use a bit of baby lotion and use the tips of your fingers to gently massage the belly and lower abdomen. The second method is to bend the baby’s legs so the knees press gently against the belly. This can be done with both legs together or one at a time in a “cycling” motion.

Glycerin suppositories

Glycerin suppositories will work when all other methods have failed. That is actually what my niece had me use on her daughter. The suppository would be gently inserted into the rectum, then her legs would be “bicycled” placing light pressure on the lower belly. Usually within a matter of one or two minutes she would have a bowel movement.

One of the most important tips for relieving newborn constipation was the necessity of seeking medical attention should home remedies fail to work. There may be something more going on and failure to get medical help could result in long-term problems.


by C.L. HENDRICKS

Five Tips for Buying Toys for Toddlers

Most of us have been there before. You open the mailbox to find a brightly colored invitation to the birthday party of your favorite two year old. You hang the invitation on the refrigerator with great intentions to stop at the toy store after work to buy a great birthday gift. Several weeks later, you realize the party starts in 2 hours and you have yet to get the perfect gift. You jump in the car, race to the toy store, and run inside. Suddenly, you are surrounded by a sea of remarkable toys and start to panic! Take a deep breath and slow down for just a minute. These five tips will help you choose the perfect educational toy and get to the party in time.

First, be sure to buy a toy that is for a toddler. Sure, their parents may tell you that their child is so advanced, that they should be in third grade by now. But let’s face it; you should buy a toy that’s fit for a two year old. Otherwise, the child may not be interested in it, and end up just playing with the box. Also, it is important that they toy is in the right age range for the child to make sure it is safe. Little hands and mouths are not safe around toys with little detachable parts. Most toy stores arrange their products by corresponding age ranges, so head straight to the section designed for the child you have in mind.

Next, think about choosing a gift that allows parents to interact with their child to build skills important for later academic success. It is important for toddlers to be exposed to letters, letter sounds, and numbers. Look for brightly colored blocks, oversized flashcards, or puzzles with letters and numbers that may also have a tactile component like a fuzzy duck or shiny moon. Some phonological based toys also talk or sing to children. Parents always enjoy helping their child explore and create with oversized paper and crayons, or clay.

Third, to please both parent and child, shop around for great toddler books. Books made especially for toddlers are typically ones made from thick cardboard. They may have pop-up characters, animals with fur that kids can pet, and flowers with a scratch-and-sniff scent. It is important for parents to read to their children to introduce them to language and ideas, and also to instill a sense that reading and learning are important. Books also provide great bonding moments between parents and children.

Next, remember not to overdo it. Sure, it is tempting to try and pick out the biggest and best gift that will be at the party. It is always flattering when the birthday boy or girl latches on to the gift you presented, and barely lets go long enough to finishing opening the rest! But, the size of the gift and the amount of money you spend is not as important as the impact that your gift may have on that particular child. Choose something that will stimulate their minds and spur their development.

Last but not least, think creatively when shopping for educational toys for toddlers. Maybe you could try a plant that they can learn to love, water, and care for, along with their very first watering can. Or perhaps they would enjoy a wardrobe of dress-up clothes, so they can pretend to be a soldier, astronaut, or athlete.

When you are racing through the toy store on the way to another great birthday party, remember to choose a stimulating and creative toy that is age appropriate for your little friend. Just don’t forget to grab some wrapping paper on the way to the cash register.

Mark Easterday is the Director of Marketing for Educational Toys & Puzzles. Educational Toys & Puzzles carries a complete line of educational and wooden toys that promote cognitive, motor and creative skills in children. For more information about Educational Toys & Puzzles please visit http://www.educationaltoysandpuzzles.com/.

Girls Want to Express Themselves: Help Her do it in Age-Appropriate Ways

You know your daughter or granddaughter wants to express herself and her personality through her clothes and everything she does. You’ve already seen how picky she can be about what she wears to school or just to hang out with her friends on weekends. Fashion is important to most girls, tweens and teens and now more fashion choices are available.

However, as a parent you may not feel comfortable with the scary Goth-chick look, ripped jeans or overly provocative fashions now available to underage girls. How can you encourage her individuality, her confidence and sense of personal expression in a way that’s fashionable and age-appropriate at the same time?

First, when she knows she is valued and appreciated she will be more likely to take your direction. Second, experts in child psychology say girls encouraged to speak up, share their thoughts and express themselves are more likely to feel self confident and exhibit healthy self esteem. Finally, when she sees an example of confident and loving people around her, she has a great example to follow. When you’re confident – she will be more likely to be confident.

One fashion look that’s become popular among women the last couple years and has trickled down to girls is the surprise of unexpected color. It started with women who wore a black and white outfit and “popped it” with a bright red or yellow purse. Now, almost anything goes when it comes to pairing color in an outfit. That jolt of unexpected color is usually seen in a bag, shoes or a belt. Girls now look for ways to pop their outfits with a jolt of bright color

Enter St. Louis designer James Androuais, age 22, who wanted to encourage girls in a positive way with his business. He saw the skyrocketing fame of MySpace and Facebook websites with girls, tweens and teens. Networking websites where conversations can go back and forth for hours. He noticed girls are constantly expressing with their words and in their appearance. So he created a fashion accessory both girls and parents can love. Now she can be unique, fashion forward and express her point of view all at the same time.

Meant to be worn with jeans, that ever-present fashion staple among girls of all ages, Xpressit belts provide a pop of bright, unexpected color and a little extra. Yes, the belts come in hot, fun colors girls, tweens and teens love including Mimosa Yellow (the “in” color for 2009), Classic Red, Aqua Blue, Limey Green, Bubblegum Pink and Perfect White. But it doesn’t stop there.

After choosing the color belt she wants she gets to choose from little Twistonz (about the size of a penny) that go in the grommet holes around the belt to create a one of a kind look. She can spell her name with Twistonz. If she’s an animal lover there are animal Twistonz with cute names. Does she love shopping? There are Twistonz with a high heel shoe, a purse and words like “Shopping Diva.” Love text messaging and her MySpace page? She can get Twistonz with popular sayings like “BFF,” “OMG” and more.

They have become so popular that XpressIt belts were chosen to be featured in a holiday gift bag loaded with goodies distributed to Hollywood moms with celeb-daughters like Debra Messing, Brook Shields, Heidi Klum and others.

Girls love clothing items and accessories that provide an opportunity to showcase her unique personality and style in ways that are fun and fresh. In a world where almost everything seems is mass-produced, having the ability to change the words and pictures on the belt she wears with her jeans makes her feel a little more special and important.

The possibilities are almost endless. Fortunately, the XpressIt Designs website at http://www.XpressItDesigns.com has an Ideas page where girls can get a little fashion inspiration so she can see the possibilities. Truthfully, she’s only limited by her imagination and how she wants to express herself.

XpressIt belts and patent pending Twistonz can be found exclusively at http://www.XpressItDesigns.com or email us for more information at XpressItDesigns@gmail.com Get yours today! (

Disrespectful and Rebellious Teens

Defiant Teens are children that have no respect for authority and mainly disrespect their parents.
Back talk when your teenager rudely tells you that you are a tyrant or an idiot has to be one of the hardest things for parents to deal with. Respect for parents is highly valued in every culture. Ways of showing respect differ from family to family. Some require prompt obedience without any protest; others are more relaxed. But disrespectful behavior is a tough challenge regardless of the specific form it takes.

We have found that children that have Defiance Disorder are very confrontational and need to have life their own way. It is a trait that some teens experience through their puberty years. Defiant teens, disrespectful teens, angry teens and rebellious teens can affect the entire family.

You will find yourself wondering what you ever did to deserve the way your child is treating you. It is very sad, yet very real. Please know that many families are experiencing this feeling of destruction within their home. Many wonder "why" and unfortunately each child is different with a variety of issues they are dealing with. Once a child is placed into proper treatment, the healing process can begin.

Their bodies and ideas are often equally awkward and unfinished but their struggle to master both is fascinating. Negotiating their transition from childhood to adulthood means that we are all making adjustments. As is always the case, this stage of my children's development is making me continue my own growth in the ways I manage human relationships.

To get to self-direction, there are a few universal explanations for every one of the situations that follow.

First, our children need to understand and agree and the consequence for breaking it. Only when they come to agree with our rules, through their own internal dialogue, will they become self-directed.

Second, sometimes parenting strategy leads some problems. Are you over-controlling or over-protective? Either trait can elicit an externally directed response, as your children react to an unhealthy situation.

Third, remember for all these parenting challenges how important it is for you as parents, to model the right behavior. If you're expecting your children to act one way and you act another, then the system falls down.

Parents of teenagers describe the teen years as a time of change, fear, rebellion, moodiness, disrespect, and frustration. But they also say it can be a time of fun, growth, adventure, sharing, understanding, and learning. Research shows that one of the best things you can do for your teen is simply to be there for them. An effective way to work with defiant teens is through anger and stress management classes. If you have a local therapist, ask them if they offer these classes. Most will have them along with support groups and other beneficial classes.

If you feel your teen is in need of further Boarding School or in time, you will find the ways to overcome your phobia. If you have trouble, talk to a professional who can give you additional insights on your situation. Just log on the following websites: free to go:

http://www.abundantlifeacademy.com

http://www.troubledteenministries.com/

http://www.restoretroubledteens.com/ Abundant life academy, It is a school for troubled teens that have a great deal of academic potential and a good heart, yet they are currently off track, lost, and wandering in the desert (selfish, ungrateful, disrespect and lazy) in need of immediate infusion of God's precious Spirit and a restored relationship with Jesus Christ (selfless, thankful, and motivated to excel). Restore Troubled Teens are worked for teens based on teens suicide, teens violence, adolescence, etc.

About Author: Nivea David For listings please visit http://www.abundantlifeacademy.com/ Schools For Troubled Teens. You can also visit http://www.troubledteenministries.com/ for Camp For Troubled Teens. And http://www.restoretroubledteens.com/ for Teen Boarding Schools

You Aren't Alone: Ten Things Every Parent Experiences When It Comes to Their Children

Don't let those "been there done that" parental types throw you off! They may have forgotten what it was like when they had children, so they would love to make you think that "I never had the problem..." but the truth is they did have that problem, it's just that they were so angry when it happened they lost their minds! So here is a list of ten things that any parent who is honest will admit, "Yes, we had the same problem!" If they didn't have it during their child's toddler years they had to deal with it during the tween or teen years! Take a look...

1. Temper Tantrums when you take something away. Temper Tantrums because they wanted to go somewhere else other than back at home again. Temper Tantrums because they don't like what you cooked. Temper Tantrums because they need a nap!

2. Talking back. Whether loud so you can hear or under their breath, it's all the same thing!

3. Lying. Whether a little one or a big one, they all lie about something.

4. Tattle-telling. He say she say and he did and she did, but never the complete story on what "I did..."

5. Incomplete or inaccurate story-telling. They tell a story in such a way to your partner so that he or she becomes furious with you or so that you won't become angry at them.

6. Broken toys, broken dishware, broken picture frames, broken whatever...sh*t happens!

7. Lost things. "I don't know where my toy is mommy? I don't know what I did with my..." They will forget where they last left something.

8. Everything that they shouldn't hear or say they want to say or hear it!

9. They love everyone but you, because you are the enforcer! They love you when you do everything for them! "Your the greatest...I love you!"

10. There will come a time that you will either think about spanking them or actually do it! Don't beat yourself up about it!

Now that the Children Got Almost Everything...

So they got almost everything that they wanted and now you are faced with a bill you would rather not face. Never fear the Internet is here to help you get back on track and prepare for the next Christmas season.

First things first, total all the bills you now owe.

Second, take the smaller bill and pay that off first while paying about $10-$20 above the minimum of your other bills.

Third, create a plan on how much you are able to pay toward your next highest bill once the other is paid off as well as how long you think it will take to pay it off.

Fourth, don't accrue anymore debt. If you don't have the cash to pay for it, don't do it!

Fifth, birthdays will have to come and go. So what that someone thought of you and the family and bought you something nice! Listen if you could do it, you would, but you can't so you won't. If you allow yourself to feel obligated to pay someone back, then you are adding unnecessary stress to your already hectic life.

Sixth, if it isn't on sale, don't bother.

Seventh, observe your lifestyle. What could you absolutely live without? Then sell it, get rid of it, or reduce it. Examine how your children live and do the same for them, sell it, get rid of it, or reduce it.

Hope these simple tips help get you on your way to reducing your debt and spending this year!

For more artciles by Nicholl McGuire, visit www.associatedcontent.com/nichollmcguire

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