Singing a song that your baby recognizes may be the best way to calm them down when they are distressed. A small study (2020) looked at three different ways to calm babies (8 and 10 month old) when holding them was not possible. The study found that talking produced the most negative effect (increased distress), Read More
Category: Child Development
Napping and Brain Development
Why do some children stop napping before others? New research suggests that transition out of napping may have to do with brain development, not age. The research focused on the hippocampus, which is the memory area of the brain. When little children nap, they “consolidate emotional and declarative [conscious recollection of facts and events] memories…” Read More
Container Play
Young children love putting things in and dumping them out of containers! This type of play can help your baby develop fine motor skills like picking up and letting go, as well as hand– eye coordination and basic, early math skills related to size and space. The skills your child needs for container play emerge Read More
Period of Purple Crying
One of the most challenging components of newborn parenting is the amount of time your new baby may spend crying. It is entirely normal for newborns to cry anywhere from 2-5 hours in a 24 hour period. That combined crying time can include small crying sessions that add up throughout the day plus longer bouts Read More
Learning to Sit
The process of learning how to sit is one of many milestones for infants, and it happens in stages. Endurance Building At first, babies gradually build their core strength by spending time on their backs and on their tummies. Play time that includes reaching, kicking, supporting their head, and stretching their limbs are all endurance Read More
A Day with Your Newborn
During the first few months of a baby’s life, there is a seemingly endless cycle of caregiving. Between the diapers, feeds, and naps, how do you interact with a tiny baby? Babies don’t come with instructions and many parents worry that they don’t know how to spend time with their baby. Here are a few Read More