Being impatient Biological families are created slowly, with the couple having time to get used to themselves as a unit and each other’s extended family before a child comes into the fold. In a blended family, however, two thirds of the family exists before the newcomer is admitted. The children have finally gotten used to being with one parent at a time since the divorce and don’t welcome yet another change....

Handy Facts on Handedness and Twins Less than 10% of the population is left-handed.There are slightly more left-handed males than females.About 20% of all identical twin pairs have one right-handed twin and one left-handed twin. Various customs and beliefs are associated with left-handedness in cultures around the world and throughout history. Unfortunately, in most cases, left-handedness is linked with sinister or dubious characteristics. For example, according to an indigenous Oneida Nation creation story, the world was created by a set of twin gods....

Although umbilical hernias are more common in newborns and babies under 6 months, older kids and adults can get them, too. In 90% of cases, the umbilical hernia will close on its own before the child reaches around 4 years of age without treatment. More severe cases may require umbilical hernia surgery. Treatment depends on the size of the hole in the abdominal muscle. Symptoms In infants, an umbilical hernia is typically painless....

A History of Encouraging Varied, Balanced Eating The USDA has been publishing some type of nutrition guidelines for over 100 years. In 1992, it introduced the Food Guide Pyramid as a way to help people to make nutrient-informed food choices. The pyramid was divided into six horizontal sections and showed pictures of the foods in each group depicted. Alongside each illustration were suggested daily servings of each food. Since each person has different needs, appetite, and preferences, using these numbers only as a general guide was a good idea....

Unit studies are typically built around one topic, such as a period in history, a specific event, or even fictional or historical characters. The lessons that are built on those topics are designed to include multiple topics. For example, when my children were younger they were hugely interested in The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. One year, we used a unit study that was based on these books....

Frozen mixed vegetables Directions

Verbal skills include the ability to understand language easily. That includes grammar as well as creative uses of language, as in poetry. Learning languages tends to come easily to the verbally gifted and they generally have a good ear for the sounds of a language. People who are verbally gifted also have the ability to understand and manipulate language symbols like alphabets. Learning Language All children with working auditory and oral systems learn a language, and unless they have a learning disability such as an auditory processing problem, they learn it with ease and without instruction....

Creating Infant Visitation Schedules The tips below will help you create a plan that works for everyone involved: Trust the Process No parent knows from the very first moment what to do 100% of the time. Fortunately, your baby will give you lots and lots of opportunities to hone your skills. But learning your baby’s unique cues, like distinguishing a hungry cry from a tired one, takes time. And while that’s a beautiful process, it can also be difficult to imagine that anyone else in the world—even your child’s other parent—could learn your baby’s cues as quickly as you have....

If you don’t watch out for what your child watches, you leave your child prey to such shows as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Saturday morning TV programs. In addition to offering virtually no educational value, these shows average about two dozen acts of violence per hour. What’s even worse, most of this violence has virtually no consequences. After all, how many times can Wile E. Coyote (“Super Genius”) be blown up or crushed by an anvil and still bounce back?...

Thiamin (B-1) Thiamin is needed for the conversion of carbohydrate-rich foods into energy. B-1 also plays a role in keeping your brain, nerve, and heart cells healthy. A deficiency will lead to loss of energy, nausea, depression, muscle cramps, nerve damage, and muscular weakness. Although uncommon in the United States, a severe depletion of thiamin can result in the disease beriberi, causing potential muscle wasting and paralysis. Foods rich in thiamin (B-1) include pork, beef, liver, peas, seeds, legumes, whole-grain products, oatmeal, and lamb....

Pennies Bowl, cup, or other container Water Directions

Having a healthy baby nursing at the breast will do just that. Also, women who wish to breastfeed an adopted child may cross-nurse to stimulate their breast milk supply. As long as proper infection precautions are observed, this is an excellent option. The cross-nursing mom should be healthy and well-nourished. She should not have any infections, take any medications, and not smoke. A History of Wet-Nursing Before there were other ways to provide nutrition to babies (such as formula), breastfeeding was the only source of food for infants....

Not everyone is aware of or experiences these contractions, which were first described in 1872 by British gynecologist John Braxton Hicks. Some women will feel them frequently throughout pregnancy, while others barely notice them. Some mothers say that they notice Braxton Hicks contractions more in subsequent pregnancies than in their first pregnancy. Why They Happen While researchers aren’t exactly sure why pregnant women experience Braxton Hicks contractions, many speculate that the purpose is to get the body ready for labor....

What Causes Stillbirth? The cause of stillbirths can vary based on gestational age and underlying risk factors, though in some cases the cause is not known. In fact, a 2011 study found that in approximately one-quarter of stillbirths, there is no known probable or possible cause. Here is an overview of the common causes of pregnancy loss after 20 weeks. Chromosomal abnormalities, especially those associated with anatomic abnormalities or birth defects, account for a high percentage of stillbirths....

But what does it mean to have a high, soft, or open cervix? What does a cervix look like or feel like? Here are some insights and tips that can help. Cervical Anatomy The cervix is a cylinder-shaped neck of tissue about 3 to 5 centimeters long. It is located at the opposite end of the vaginal opening. If your vagina is a hallway, the cervix is the locked door at the end....

Hair tourniquet syndrome is most common in young infants, but can affect older children too. Ahead, find out more about what hair tourniquet syndrome is, how to spot it, and advice on how to safely respond. What Is Hair Tourniquet Syndrome? Hair tourniquet syndrome is sometimes also referred to as “hair and thread tourniquet syndrome” or “toe-tourniquet syndrome.” “It is the swelling of an appendage, normally a finger, toe or even the genitals, caused by a tightly wound strand of hair or thread,” explains Eric Hoppa, MD, FAAP, a board certified pediatrician who specializes in pediatric emergency medicine at Connecticut Children’s Hospital....

In addition to being a great bonding technique in those early days following birth, kangaroo care comes with a plethora of health benefits for newborn babies—especially if your infant is preterm. From improving oxygen rates to helping babies maintain their body temperature, there are several reasons to cozy up to your new infant and put this method into practice. Ahead, we’ll break down exactly what kangaroo care is, where it originated, and how you can implement it yourself—even if you aren’t able to hold your baby directly after birth....