HaltonParents

Me… Tandem breastfeed?!

Posted on December 14, 2017 by HaltonRegion

Tandem breastfeeding wasn’t something I set out to do, it just sort of evolved. Here is my story:

I was breastfeeding my first child when I became pregnant with my second. Although I wasn’t totally ready to wean, the idea of breastfeeding a newborn plus a two year old was daunting. I pictured myself sitting on a spit-up soaked sofa, tandem breastfeeding a baby and toddler with play dough stuck in my matted hair, surrounded by piles of dirty laundry and stacks of unwashed dishes. Not a pretty picture. I also thought my son would be less jealous of the new baby if he was weaned, and so we stopped. A couple months after weaning, the baby’s arrival ROCKED my first child’s world. He was angry that the new baby disrupted his life and he saw the new baby as a challenger for my attention.

Newborn baby held by parent, toddler sibling looking worried

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Posted in Babies, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Breastfeeding Your Child, Parenting, Pregnancy, Preparing to Breastfeed, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged Breastfeeding Your Baby, how to, new baby, newborn, older child, sibling, tandem, tandem nurse, tandem nursing, toddler | Leave a comment

How to help your teen make big decisions

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Nicole O'Donnell, RN

“I need to decide what to do after high school!”

This is the big topic of conversation in my house these days. It seems to be a cruel joke of nature that as teenagers approach one of the first big decisions of their lives, their decision making tool (the brain) is still under construction.

What will it be? Post-secondary education? Entering the workforce? Travel?

So many options and so many decisions to be made. Some kids have known what they want to be and how to achieve this since preschool. Others, like my daughter, well, it isn’t so straight forward and it can be exhausting following her circling train of thought.

Making decisions concept. Sneakers on the asphalt road with drawn arrows pointing to two directions.

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Posted in Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Parenting, Parenting Your Teen, Teen Brain, Teens, Transition to High School | Tagged after high school, college, high school, how to support, post-secondary, school, school health, stress, Teen Brain, university | 1 Comment

How to build a secure attachment with your baby

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Tamara Kraszewski, RN

I remember being struck by how my son, David, looked at me – really looked at me. He took in my facial expressions, my words, the tunes I sang, and responded with his own changes in facial expression, babbling and body movements. Wow! Wasn’t he just the brightest, most wonderful baby ever! Of course that’s how every parent feels!

Having a good relationship with your child by responding to his cues and meeting his needs in a warm, caring way creates a close emotional bond referred to as “secure attachment”. By “cues”, I mean signals such as little frowns, wrinkled forehead, turning his face away, crying, smiling, imitating our expressions, rubbing his eyes, rooting, arching his back, cooing and laughing.

Why is this important?

When a child feels safe and secure, he’s more likely to explore his surroundings. Knowing his parents are close by if he needs them, he may try new things, be more likely to interact with other children and adults, and develop confidence. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Play, Growth & Development for Babies | Tagged attachment, baby's cues, bonding, brain development, comfort, crying, crying baby, parent infant relationship, secure attachment, social skills, spoil baby, why is my baby crying | 2 Comments

Kids in the kitchen: Independence is the main ingredient

Posted on November 16, 2017 by HaltonRegion

When my three kids were younger my day would start at 5:30 am with breastfeeding the baby, getting the 2 year-old out of his diaper and figuring out what yogurt needed to be fed to the two and four year-old before it expired.

When I had at least five hours of sleep, I had a positive attitude and could even predict the colour cup ‘du jour.’ But when I woke up exhausted after a not-so-great night, I fantasized about the day when my kids would be more independent in the kitchen and I could drink my morning coffee HOT. Well, that day has arrived and now I’m faced with the challenge of giving up a bit (I mean, A LOT) of control over my tidy kitchen! I want my kids to be more independent without making it harder on me. I’ve started off by placing some apples, bananas and homemade snack mixes (read: Cheerios and sliced almonds in containers) on the table the night before. In the morning my eldest pours milk in cups for all three of them. Voila! A breakfast with four food groups and I don’t have to re-heat my coffee once. This is a major win! Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Healthy Eating for Toddlers & Preschoolers, Healthy Eating for Your Child/Tween, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Toddler & Preschooler Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged breakfast, how to get kids to help, kitchen, meals, prepare food, preschoolers, snacks, teach independence | Leave a comment

So much to do at the library with your baby

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Carolyn Wilkie, RN

If your baby is fussing and you need a break, maybe it’s time to head to the library!

Are you surprised? Libraries are not what they used to be. Erase any mental images of furrowed brows and steel-like stares; things have changed! Libraries are a hub of activity for guests of all ages, and they want to get to know YOU. Yes, you.

When I had my first baby I hadn’t visited the local library in years. My Mom encouraged me to go after seeing a poster geared to new parents. After weeks of putting it off, I shelved my worries and went. Honestly, I shouldn’t have fretted so much, they had everything there: change tables, stroller parking, and quiet spots to settle and breastfeed my baby.