Saturday, May 11, 2013

A question for all the mothers of infants?

Q. What things do you have for the baby that you couldn't possibly live without?
What items to do have that are completely useless and you couldn't imagine why you got them?

I'm adding items to my registry for my 'surprise' baby shower (I know its happening, but have no idea when..or where) and want to make sure I covered everything.

Feel free to tell me about toys your baby loves, etc.
I need to make sure I have it all =)
I'm due in 4 1/2 weeks!

Thanks!

A. Couldn't live without(and *= really nice to have):
teething rings,
wubbanub paci
moby wrap
40 x 40 swaddle blanket
sleep sacks
teething tabs
gripe water
johnson and johnson bedtime bath and lotion
baby tub
hooded towels and rags*
graco luvin hug swing
medela breast pump
boppy seat
boppy pillow*
bright stars toys (that drop from play time mat)
tummy time mat with above toys*
huggies natural diapers, or cloth
cloth wipes for new born
destin diaper rash cream
playtex dropins bottles for after 3 weeks or vent aire (if bottles)
happiest baby on block dvd

crap I thought I needed and never used
- high chair
- stroller (she hates it) maybe later but def not anytime soon
- bases for car seats, they dont fit right in my car, so i wind up strapping her in and she goes with me everywhere...no need for multiples
- pack and play
- more than one moby wrap
- lots of blankets
- ultimate crib sheet
- fancy bed linens for crib
- any dresses at all for her
- any coats for a baby
- papasan cradle swing- unstable and she outgrew it too fast, the other swing was life saver first 3 months
- fisher price chair that is sort of like boppy chair
- fisher price infant to toddler rocker
- ETA: angel care monitor- nice if your baby actually sleeps in a crib- which mine barely does now at 23weeks. if i had a do over i would get the video monitor.
i will update as i think of others, but bottom line, wait to meet your baby!


Any ideas on getting rid of the pacifier?
Q. My daughter will be two in a few weeks and we were wanting to get her away from the pacifier. She is in daycare and she goes all day w/o it (even at nap) but the minute she gets in the car she wants it. Also we have a 3 month old who has one so she will constantly be seeing her sister's pacifier. Any suggestions?

A. people are so judgemental when it comes to using a pacifier arent they?

HEre are some loving techniques suggested by Dr. Sears:

A While pacifier use can get a child's mind off of teething pain, it's not beneficial to the process of teething itself. The act of sucking is very soothing for an infant, and it increases saliva production, which serves as a natural antiseptic that is good for oral hygiene. Despite these supposed benefits, extended pacifier use can, more likely than not, cause dental problems. The extra pressure exerted during sucking can cause dental malalignment (known as an overbite). Overbites are more common with thumbsucking than with pacifier use, but the risk is still there. And it is true that the longer you let her use it, the harder it will be to wean her off of it later. Here are some tried-and-true weaning tips:

Get her mind off of it. Identify what situations trigger your child's desire for the pacifier — many toddlers love to suck on something when they're upset. Also, examine your own reactions to your baby when she is upset. Do you find yourself reaching for a pacifier instead of reaching for her? Next time she needs soothing, try offering Mommy-comfort rather than paci-comfort. Think of this as an opportunity to deepen your bond with her, since she'll be spending a lot more time in your arms and on your lap.

Teach her other self-soothing techniques. In addition to being her human pacifier for a while, teach her ways to self-soothe (aside from thumbsucking, of course!). When she's upset or anxious, distract her with a fun play activity. Give her a cuddly doll or other transitional object to help her make the switch from the rubber pacifier to a more suitable soother.

Trade it in. One paci-ditching trick that has worked for several of my patients is to take your child and pacifier to a toy store and let your child pick out a new toy or stuffed animal that will act as a substitute. At the checkout counter, "trade in" the pacifier for the toy. There are many experienced toy store clerks who are used to this little trick and willing to play along!

Use peer pressure. Surround her with non-pacifier-using playmates to help her get the idea that pacifiers are not needed.

If you try these tricks and she resists to such an extent that she becomes a sadder child, take stock of the situation. She simply may not be ready to give the paci up, and that's fine for the short-term. If you conclude that your infant still needs her favorite pacifier for a few more months, go ahead and oblige, using these precautions:

• Above all, always try other ways of comforting her first.

• Don't dip the pacifier in honey or any sugary solution that could damage her teeth.

• Let her use the pacifier for only short periods of time, and when you feel she particularly needs it.

• Gradually shorten the frequency and length of time she's "plugged in" to the pacifier.

Rest assured that whether it's now or later, your child will outgrow the need for her silicon soother.

http://www.parenting.com/parenting/article/0,19840,1123768,00.html


Can you work at a Montessori school with a associate degree in early childcare education?
Q. I am currently getting a early childcare associate degree and for some reason Montessori learning really stuck out to me as fun. Can i work in it with just a associate degree?

A. The curriculum is actually very tedious/repetative and time consuming (a true montessori program has no time limits and wants kids to learn individually or in very small groups of 2 or 3 with hours at a time for one activity), and I think to teach Montessori at a center, preschool, or elementry school you need to go to a special montessori teaching school or get a special certificate/teaching credential (thats what one of my CD professors said).

Montessori also focus's too much on structered individual play with little to no unstructered group play- which is important too for building problem solving skills and creativity. I worked as a fieldtrip tour guide at an activity tourist property and I had different groups- FCC's with Infants/Toddlers, Preschools, Public schools, Private schools, and even 1 private Montessori school and those Montessori kids were the most out of control- they were hurting each other and running around chasing birds and the teachers didn't do much because I was on time schedual and had to transition kids to about 9 or 10 different activities in less than 2 hours. There are a few aspects of it I like, such as using natural materials (wooden toys/natural wool or cotton fabrics) and the child sized furnature. but not so much the long untimed projects (that was developed because the children she toughter were seen as "mentally retarded" by the public- but it is unrealistic in today's fast pace school and work environments; how will children adapt to middle school? High school? College? Workforce?) but I would say if you don't want to get a special certificate just try to adopt a play-based or Nature-based curriculum using the aspects of her teachings you like.





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