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Preparing Your Health History

One of the major components of your first prenatal check up is the health history interview. It should feel somewhat familiar, since many doctors do this on your first visit, but the prenatal version is a little more detailed. To prepare, it may help to look over some of these questions beforehand in case you need to make a few phone calls to your mom or relatives. What is your history with pregnancy? Have you been pregnant before? Have you ever had a miscarriage? Have you ever had an abortion? If you have had a baby before, how did you … Continue reading →

How Young is Too Young to Be Left Home Alone?

As our children begin to grow, we may be wondering when it is okay to leave them alone. How old should they be when you allow them to be home alone from the time they get home from school until you get home from work? Is it okay to go out for a date night and leave a child home in the evening? What about a simple walk around the block? How old can your child be when you leave him in the car to run into the store? Years ago, parents didn’t worry about such things, I think. I … Continue reading →

Preparing a Young Child for the Hospital

Whether it is tubes in the ear for frequent ear infections or something more serious, having a young child stay in the hospital, especially when it involves surgery, can be a nerve-filled experience for both you and your child. Parents Magazine recently published an article all about preparing children when they have to go to the hospital. There is some good advice here, especially as it relates to babies and the youngest children. I’ve adapted some of the advice given as a result of my own experiences with children and hospitals. Inform yourself I always became less anxious whenever I … Continue reading →

Should I Take My Child to a Sibling Class?

Sibling classes are offered at hospitals around the country. Your hospital may offer a class to help prepare older brothers and sisters for the arrival of their new siblings. You may be wondering if you should sign your child up for one of these classes. I took my oldest child to a sibling class when I was pregnant with my second daughter. Since she was only 21 months old at the time, I don’t know how much she got out of the experience. She did have a lot of fun at the time, so I guess it was worth it. … Continue reading →

A Hug a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

If this past year has taught us anything, it should be that we need to hug our kids more. Actually, we should hug anyone who means anything to us or needs encouragement. Studies have shown that hugs can improve both our physical and mental health. I challenge us all to get in at least one hug a day, if not more. For extra credit, hug so much that others think that you are a little eccentric. Isn’t it funny, how the world works. While I was typing this, my husband interrupted to tell me that there was an ambulance across … Continue reading →

Family Home Evening For a New Arrival

Last night, we had a family home evening for the kiddos. My husband and I take turns because our kids are so little that they can’t really prepare a lesson yet. It was a simple one, but it was pertinent to our lives right now. When preparing a family home evening for kids that are so little, it is challenging. My son, who is 2 1/2 has a very short attention span these days. If it’s not making noise, a super hero, or flashing bright lights, he’s not interested. But, last night I was able to captivate them for a … Continue reading →

At the Midwife’s

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When our first child was born a few years ago — and what a wonderful son he is — we employed a midwife for our care and the delivery. This was a remarkably fortuitous decision as hospitals have always made me uneasy. In contrast to the sterile hallways and the smell of bleach (something that has always put me off) we were able to spend the labor and the birth in a home with a nice bedroom, plenty of room to move, and zero pressure to do anything we didn’t want to do. I cannot tell you how wonderful it … Continue reading →

Five-Month-Old Suffers Serious Sunburn

As my family prepares to fly to the southwestern part of the United States for a vacation, I’m consumed with packing and preparing for the trip. A number one thought in my mind is how to best keep our baby cool in the hot temperatures while still protecting her from the sun’s rays. As we plan to spend some of our time sightseeing outdoors in temperatures in the mid 80’s to 90’s, this is a real concern. Apparently, not every mother shares this concern. In a story that is sure to twist your stomach and cause emotions ranging from disbelief … Continue reading →

Do Growing Pains Really Exist?

Every once in a while, my eldest son will complain that he can’t sleep because his legs hurt. We will inspect his legs and other parts of his body to make sure that he isn’t ill or injured, and we come up with nothing. There is no redness, swelling, bruising or other outward signs of something wrong. Joints don’t make any noise and skin is in intact. It isn’t even time for school or a hated chore. What then could be wrong? When I was little, I remember my parents calling these growing pains, a mysterious pain, usually in the … Continue reading →

Guide to the Rotavirus Vaccine

When it comes to your baby, I am of the mindset that the more information you have at hand, the better chance you have of making the right decision for your baby. Immunization is a highly debated topic among some. Many parents choose not to vaccinate and are trying to enact laws that make it illegal for a child to be refused private daycare because of lack of immunization. Other parents believe wholeheartedly in the power of vaccinations to protect children from potentially fatal diseases and oppose measures that would allow non-vaccinated children to be enrolled in private day care … Continue reading →