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More: 8 Smart Baby Products That Make Parenting Just A Little Easier Making room for baby might not mean you need as much space as before. Today, many parents are opting for a minimalist approach to “baby stuff” and only investing in the bare essentials over many items which they’ll quickly grow bored of or grow out of. Whether you’re a first time parent, or you’re on your second or third, if you’re interested in minimalism, it can seem more daunting than detoxifying if you’re not sure exactly what the essentials for your individual baby will be, because at the end of the day every baby is truly so different....

According to research, 36% of American children under age 1 have interacted with a mobile device. Meanwhile, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone; 45% of teens say they are online almost all the time. With the change in how media impacts our children, the AAP came out with new, more relaxed screen time guidelines. Here Are the New AAP Screen Time Guidelines: Get Involved With Media Media is just another environment in which kids play....

One thing that the hospital provides is basic medical supplies that are used during the birth. To get that in a home birth, the midwives could go through the expense and hassle of purchasing it in bulk, but transportation and money become an issue. It is much simpler to have each family order a birth kit which contains the basic supplies needed for the birth. A birth kit contains items like cord clamps, sterile gloves, mesh underwear, plastic-backed pads, and other basic medical supplies....

However, even though there is the potential for complications, with early and regular prenatal care a high-risk pregnancy can lead to a safe delivery and healthy baby. Here’s what you need to know about the diagnosis, care, and monitoring of a high-risk pregnancy. Screening for High-Risk Pregnancy Early in your pregnancy, your doctor will start gathering information to see if you are high risk for pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia or eclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy or childbirth), premature birth, uterine growth restriction (when a baby is very tiny), or certain birth defects (like spina bifida or fetal alcohol syndrome)....

Causes of Teenage Mood Swings There could be a number of things fueling your teen’s emotional roller coaster. Knowing what goes on behind the scenes of a mood swing could help you and your child better manage them. Hormonal Changes Mood swings during adolescence can partially be blamed on biology. Significant hormonal shifts that occur during puberty can affect mood. As teens mature, they commonly experience increased irritability, intense sadness, and frequent frustration from these chemical changes....

The contrast between light and dark will really pique your baby’s interest, and it’s important to encourage those new skills by stimulating your baby. Take advantage of their newfound awareness to help further develop their visual tracking skills by playing fun and easy shadow games indoors and outdoors. How to Use Shadows Position yourselves between a light source. Sit with your baby on your lap and shine a flashlight at the wall or go outside and use the sun on a bright, clear day....

But before you hang it on the crib and step back in adoration, be sure you’ve selected one that won’t harm your baby. Also consider that you want your baby to sleep while in their crib, not be stimulated and entertained. Securely Attach the Baby Mobile to the Crib A fallen mobile can literally be a death trap for your infant. It can cause strangulation, suffocation, or entrapment—a scary thing for something meant to be cute and delight your baby....

The key has always been maintaining balance. Throughout this year, your baby has learned to coordinate his muscles from the top down. First came control over his neck and head, then his shoulders and upper torso. After that, he began to use his arms and his hands with ever-increasing dexterity. Then came the hips, thighs, and knees, and suddenly your baby was crawling. By now, your baby has control over nearly every muscle in his body....

Playgrounds Each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for playground-associated injuries. Most of these injuries occur when a child falls from the equipment. Take a look at the surfaces of your local playground. There should be a 12-inch depth of wood chips, mulch, sand, or pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber or fiber material. (This surface will prevent possible head injuries in case a child falls....

Some people avoid eating beans because of “bean bloat.” What causes this problem? Complex sugars in beans, called oligosaccharides, sometimes form gas when broken down in the lower intestine. This side effect usually subsides when beans are made a regular part of the diet, and the body becomes more efficient at digesting them. The proper cleaning, soaking, and cooking of dried beans can also help you make beans a delicious and healthful part of your diet....

From African and Arabic to Latin and Germanic origins, Black names are filled with deep meaning, and many also stem from historic roots. Names like Destiny and Imani come from a strong belief in fate and faith, while a name like Azha has a more astrological interpretation. Before settling on a name, take a look at the list below to gain some insight into a few options for your baby....

Ask your child to pretend that he is a soft lump of play dough and that you are the sculptor. Gently move your child’s body into different shapes and positions. Then try bending, turning, and lifting your child’s body. Next, it is your child’s turn to be the sculptor. Stand, sit, or lie while he shapes your body. Offer no resistance and hold each new position still until your child moves it again....

This Book is More Fun Than a Barrel of MonkeysTitle: A Twisted TaleAuthor: Carolyn FisherPublisher: Alfred A. Knopf Picture book; Ages 4-8 Bailey Tarbell’s world has been turned – or rather twisted – upside down. After a tornado touches down on her family’s farm, everything is out of order – the cat chases the dog up the tree, the cow clucks, and the chicken quacks. After several unsuccessful attempts to return things to normal, it’s up to Bailey to come up with a creative idea to save the farm....

Directions With the materials listed and some imagination, your child can build all kinds of objects and buildings from old boxes you were going to throw away. Here are some ideas—train, boat, car, spaceship, village, doll house, skyscraper, robot, or space station. Try creating a scene from a favorite story or use the buildings as a backdrop for a play.

The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that preterm infants who were fed their mother’s milk had a significant improvement in their cardiac function at the one-year mark. The news is encouraging for the parents of preterm babies and health professionals seeking to give the little ones a healthier start in life. Details from the Study Researchers analyzed data from infants who were taking part in a larger project, the Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program at the Washington University School of Medicine....