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Parenting
Is your tap water safe from lead contamination? The issue of lead-contaminated city water burst into the national conversation in April 2014, when Flint, Michigan, announced that its city water was contaminated with toxic lead. The problem began...
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Baby
When you prepare baby formula, you may wonder if using tap water is the safest option. While most tap water is safe, there are three main chemical concerns in using tap water for babies: the presence of fluoride, lead, and/or nitrates. Fluoride...
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Toddler
You’ve probably heard about how great water is and how we should all be drinking more of it. Unlike juice, soda, or sports drinks, water is free from calories and sugar, so it’s good for both the teeth and the waistline, and it helps remove...
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Blog
Not too long ago, we ran an article on the dangers of water births, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified two cases of Legionnaires disease in babies delivered through a water birth. The infection was linked to...
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Blog
The medical community is well aware about the dangers of lead for children. Recently, Flint, Michigan has been in the national spotlight due to very high lead levels in the area’s drinking water. The lead and its harmful effects are being...
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Baby
There are three basic kinds of infant formula: ready-made, powdered, and concentrate. Ready-made formula is both the most expensive and the easiest; simply pour it into a baby bottle. But the two more economical varieties require a simple...
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Parenting
When summer’s warm temperatures take you and your family to the pool, no doubt you are on guard to ensure your child swims safely and every step is taken to reduce drowning risk. Unfortunately, the devastating effects of a drowning can occur long...
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Blog
In a recent study, school cafeteria lunches were found to be healthier than homemade lunches. One of the reasons school lunches fared better in the “healthy and nutritious” category was limits set around sweets and high-fat food in schools. The...
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Community
A new statement from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists was just released regarding the safety of water (aka immersion) births. You can find the official statement here: http://bit.ly/1jcoD8U Here are some highlights:...
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Community
...So I know about how much milk my 17-month-old should get a day, and I know about how much water I should get a day, but is there a recommended amount of water per day for young children?...
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Pregnancy
Mothers have many choices when it comes to creating a birth plan, and some of them are quite controversial among the medical community. Water births — also called immersion births — have long been viewed as problematic for a variety of reasons, but...
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Health
Fluoride is a mineral that is critical to preventing tooth decay, both in children and in adults. Most communities in the United States fluoridate their water. It’s an effective and inexpensive way to promote dental health in every economic...
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Community
...For a good laugh! http://www.scarymommy.com/water-parks-are-just-like-bars/...
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Baby
Nitrates are a broad class of chemicals and salts derived from nitric acid. They are easily dissolved in water; sodium nitrate is commonly used as a food preservative or to “cure” foods such as bacon and other preserved meats. Other...
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Community
Since a baby’s gag reflex is still pretty strong at this age, I recommend using a food processor or good quality blender to get the smoothest texture possible. Adding extra water while pureeing helps a lot too. To expedite the cooking...
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Parenting
We’ve all seen the movies: a drowning victim flailing in the ocean, bobbing up and down, and screaming loudly for help. But you may be surprised to know that this Hollywood version of drowning often misrepresents what drowning actually looks like....
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Pregnancy
A submersion birth is exactly what it sounds like: giving birth while partially submerged, usually in a bathtub or a special submersion birth tub found in some hospitals and birthing centers. Already popular overseas, submersion births have been...
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Toddler
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Toddler
Whether you’re buying store-brand baby food or making your own, it’s never too early to start teaching your baby to enjoy healthy foods. “Moms and dads need to make eating nutritious foods a regular part of life,” said Dian Griesel,...
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Baby
It’s a fact of life: all babies have gas. For some babies, passing gas poses no problem and they hardly seem to experience any discomfort. For others, gas can cause discomfort and result in symptoms including fussiness, a hard belly, squirming, and...
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Baby
If you will not be breastfeeding your baby, formula can be given to babies beginning at birth. If you know for sure that your baby will not be breastfed, it is a good idea to have the basics of formula feeding down prior to delivery. For example,...
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Parenting
You’ve done everything possible to babyproof your house: crawled around on the floor to look for dangers, plugged all the sockets, put cushions on sharp corners, and gated off dangerous areas. But when it comes to the bathroom—a room full of...
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Pregnancy
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Baby
Bathing your newborn can be a great time to bond and have fun with your newborn. While your newborn will not need a bath every day, make sure to wash your baby’s face, hands and neck, especially in the folds, with a washcloth daily and after...
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Baby
In 2012, Consumer Reports caused a stir when it released a report showing that many rice products, including food for infants and children, contained high levels of arsenic. Arsenic is a semi-metallic chemical found in water, soil, and some foods....
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Parenting
Your home is full of exciting and tempting sights, sounds, and smells. A colorful fire in the fireplace, a flickering candle, or the smell of cookies in the oven can be hard for little hands to resist. Yet all of these are burn hazards. Even a pot...
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Parenting
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in young children. However, there are a number of strategies that you can use to prevent such a tragedy. By following basic safety precautions, you can help ensure that your child is safe around the...
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Community
We started swim lessons this past summer/fall with my now 18-month-old son (then 14 months old). We had just moved to a house on the water, and I wanted him to be able to survive if he ever fell in, and someone wasn’t right there to grab him...
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Blog
Summer is almost here (and for some of us in the south, it is already upon us). While summer might mean ice cream and barbecues, this season can feel like something entirely different to a pregnant woman: swollen ankles, relentless heat, and...
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Health
Baby’s skin is incredibly soft, but it’s also delicate and can be easily irritated. Fortunately, baby skin care tends toward the simple: less is often more. Follow some easy tips to keep your baby’s skin healthy. First, bathe your...
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Toddler
What you choose to offer your toddler to drink plays an important role in his or her overall health. After all, beverages provide nutrition and hydration, both of which help keep your toddler healthy and nourished. Beverages, especially water, are...
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Health
It’s common for new parents to worry if their baby is breathing normally. This is partly because many newborns sound stuffed up or make strange sounds when breathing, including a slight nasal whistle, seemingly labored breathing, or raspy noises....
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Toddler
You’ve probably heard that toddlers and children shouldn’t drink soda, but what about fruit juice? It sounds like a healthy and natural alternative, but despite the pictures of fruits and vegetables on the label, fruit juice is not necessarily a...
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Health
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a species of bacteria normally found in the intestines of people and animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but others can make you very ill. One specific strain called O157:H7 causes severe diarrhea and can...
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Health
Spending time out of doors is just one of the many benefits of summer. Keeping kids safe from outdoor pests is sometimes a chore, especially in the age of the Zika and chikungunya viruses. Both viruses are transmitted by the bite of infected...
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Blog
Besides building the snowman, there must be other fun stuff to do in the winter, right? Here are a few educational and fun activities to do with your kids during the chilly winter times! 1. Create a scavenger hunt with nature’s offerings. Pick up...
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Blog
Every few weeks it seems some study comes out that shows that drinking something or eating something or being exposed to something can cause problems in pregnancy or your developing baby. Often, these studies are small or show that only the extreme...
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Health
Many parents are surprised to learn that children are at risk of infection from a parasitic disease. However, these parasites are not just found in developing countries, but are present right in your child’s playground, daycare or preschool, or...
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Toddler
Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet for all of us, including children. Yet the fiber intakes of most American children are lower than what’s recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The recommended daily fiber intake for...
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Pregnancy
With up to one-third of pregnant women delivering by Cesarean section in the United States, it’s important to know what to expect when it comes to your recovery after a Cesarean delivery. Being sent home with an incision on your belly can add to...
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Health
Burns in children are one of the most common household accidents. In 2010, more than 60,000 children ages 4 years and under were treated in emergency rooms for burns. It’s no wonder burn injuries are so common: burn hazards exist in just...
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Baby
Now that your baby has more experience with solid foods, you might wonder which foods are “good” to introduce at this age and when it’s OK to introduce treats and snacks. First, it’s important to offer an increasing variety of soft table and finger...
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Pregnancy
Welcome to the end of your pregnancy! Hopefully you’re feeling calm and ready and prepared. But even if you are worried that so many things feel undone—Is the nursery decorated? Do we have enough frozen meals? Do I have all my breastfeeding...
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Health
Reducing your child’s risk of lead exposure is important—and should begin before your baby even comes home from the hospital. This is especially true if you live in a home that was built before 1978, when the manufacture of lead-based paint was...
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Baby
Now that your baby has more experience with solid foods, you might wonder which foods are “good” to introduce at this age and when it’s OK to introduce treats and snacks. First, it’s important to offer an increasing variety of soft table and finger...
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Health
Outbreaks of diarrhea are extremely common among kids who spend time in childcare settings, but many parents don’t realize that these outbreaks are often caused by a parasite. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Giardia...
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Pregnancy
For many women who deliver vaginally, a tear or laceration can occur at the time of giving birth. Some women may also have an episiotomy, though doing these routinely is becoming less common in the United States. So how should you care for this...
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Health
Lead is especially dangerous because it accumulates in a chlid’s developing brain and nervous system, potentially causing all sorts of developmental and behavioral issues. While it’s virtually impossible to completely avoid lead — it’s present...
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Parenting
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Health
Even small amounts of lead contamination can impact your baby’s brain development, learning, hearing, and behavior. Lead causes health issues because it interferes with the function of minerals such as calcium and iron. Calcium is important to...
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Parenting
If your summertime plans include swimming at a public pool, here are some things you should consider before putting on those swimsuits. Safety It’s a good idea to choose a location close to the lifeguard, but don’t let a pool lifeguard give you a...
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Blog
We are just a few days out from our long cross-country road trip as part of a big move, and preparing for this has left me worrying that by the end of it we are going to be drowning in fast food and sugar. To try to prevent this, I’ve come up with...
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Baby
Many women who breastfeed need to pump eventually, and some moms even pump exclusively as a way to feed their babies. Few women really love pumping, so here are some tricks to help make the experience easier. 1. A hands-free bra for multitasking....
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Parenting
The Midwest polar vortex and its historic low temperatures, with wind chills falling to -60˚F in some places, have created a winter wonderland for your little ones. But while the snow can be a fun way to spend an afternoon stuck at home, your...
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Baby
You know that most childcare experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend breastfeeding for the first six months of life whenever possible. But what’s so special about breast milk anyway? Lots of living cells — Breast milk is...
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Blog
My son Max never had problems with shots. At least that’s what I thought. At his 4-year-old visit, I thought he handled the barrage of vaccines fine…but upon leaving the office, he vomited from the stress. Since I research needle pain prevention, I...
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Health
Is dry, cracking, itchy skin causing your child (and you) to be downright miserable this winter season? Is the condition made worse by sub-zero arctic blasts of cold air that seem to greet you every time you walk outside? Are over-the-counter...
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Blog
Parents! We are winding summer down here in Florida and I have to admit, I need a break from the structure required to keep kids busy but comfortable in 100 degree temperatures. Gone is the week of vacation, gone are the couple weeks of structured...
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Health
Lead exposure is a major public health concern. There is no safe blood lead level in children, and the lifetime effects of elevated lead levels are serious. Lead poisoning can lead to neurological problems, including learning difficulties and...
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Parenting
Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) occurs when the outer part of the ear and the canal leading to the eardrum becomes inflamed and painful. Swimmer’s ear is different from the more common ear infections that occur in the middle ear, or otitis media...
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Baby
Sippy cups are easy to love. They don’t spill, they are super easy for baby to use, and they are a perfect bridge from the bottle or breast to a “big kid” cup. In recent years, however, there’s been a bit of a sippy cup backlash as experts from...
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Baby
Your baby’s umbilical cord is cut after birth. The stump that remains may look daunting at first—it will likely look gooey and yellowish—but caring for it is simpler than it looks. First, it’s important to keep the stump and the surrounding skin...
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Pregnancy
Food poisoning occurs when people eat or drink harmful microorganisms (bacteria, parasites, viruses), usually in contaminated food or drinking water. Food poisoning is especially important to avoid during pregnancy because the immune system is...
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Health
Hand washing is the most important way we prevent the spread of germs. Washing our hands with a mild soap before preparing food, after using the bathroom, after diaper changing, after handling pets, and after returning home from running errands can...
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Pregnancy
Unfortunately there is no one thing that always happens to all pregnant women when they go into labor. In fact, what a woman experiences as her body prepares to give birth can vary greatly between different women and even different pregnancies. But...
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Parenting
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Health
Everyone gets constipated at some point, even toddlers. When parents are juggling toilet training and picky or erratic eating, panic over a toddler not producing poo can set in. Don’t worry too much, though. A change in your toddler’s diet may be...
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Blog
Oscar moms and burrito babies are basically my everything this week. How are you celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday? 1. Mommy goes to the Oscars I may or may not have been the only one who watched the Oscars simply to see the baby bumps and the...
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Toddler
In the old days, parents and doctors used to force cod liver oil on reluctant children. Made from the fermented livers of cod fish, the oil was famously noxious, but its high vitamin A and vitamin D content justified the awful taste. It turns out,...
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Parenting
Whether you live just minutes away or need to hop on a plane to get there, your summer plans may include a trip to the beach. While the beach is great for sun and surf, it’s always important to remember that the ocean poses unique health risks. 1....
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Baby
Good oral care starts at the beginning of your infant’s life, long before your baby’s first teeth break through his or her gums. Babies have unique oral health needs that must be met to ensure the healthy development of primary teeth. So what...
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Parenting
Once baby arrives, decorating the house for the holidays takes on a whole new meaning. One thing to watch out for: holiday plants that can be dangerous if ingested. But contrary to popular belief, the poinsettia is not one of those plants, posing...
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Pregnancy
Being pregnant can be hard enough — especially near the end — but pregnancy in the sticky heat of summer is a whole different kind of miserable. The common complaints in pregnancy during the summer are dehydration, swelling in the feet,...
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Parenting
It’s almost that time of the season: to load up the kids, the sunscreen, and the beach towels for summer vacation. But as anyone who’s traveled with children knows, traveling with a family in tow is a completely different experience than traveling...
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Health
The idea of giving your baby the first bath can be intimidating. It’s only natural at first to be worried about handling a slippery, squirming baby in water. But the process is not complicated, and many newborns enjoy a warm, calming bath. The...
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Pregnancy
One of the less glamorous symptoms of pregnancy is an increase in vaginal discharge. This can happen at any time, but many women notice it more in the second and third trimesters. However, not all discharge is created equal, and knowing what is...
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Pregnancy
Welcome to Week 33! You’re now less than two months away from your due date. It won’t be long until you’re on weekly visits to your healthcare provider, and it will seem like everything is about to happen all at once. Until then, remember to...
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Health
Baby’s skin is naturally sensitive, so it’s only normal to worry when your little one develops eczema. But don’t panic: eczema is actually the most common chronic skin condition in children, affecting 10-20 percent of kids. Eczema—also known...
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Health
While kidney stones were previously considered an adult issue, the number of pediatric patients with these painful stones is increasing, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Kidney stones are collections of hard minerals that build...
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Health
Years ago, managing diarrhea meant eliminating food and focusing on hydrating the child, in the hopes of curtailing stool output. Then the thinking turned to offering foods that were somewhat constipating, such as bananas and rice, while...
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Toddler
The market for “organic” food is booming in the United States as consumers look for safer and healthier options. According to industry sources, the organic segment of the produce industry is the fastest growing segment of the market. But what is...
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Pregnancy
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Toddler
The time when toddlers are the most curious and uncoordinated—around 18-36 months—is also the period when they’re most likely to injure their baby teeth. Accidents can happen anywhere at any time, but most dental injuries in toddlers and...
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Pregnancy
If you’re about to give birth, surely your friends and family have told you exactly what their deliveries were like — and how yours should go, too. After reading the books and searching Dr. Google, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Here...
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Health
Food poisoning can be an uncomfortable and prolonged discomfort for adults, but in an infant or child, food poisoning can be a serious condition. Food poisoning typically occurs when an infant or child consumes a food or drink that is contaminated...
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Pregnancy
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Parenting
Looking for some good gift ideas for the breastfeeding mom in your life this holiday season? Here’s a doctor-approved list of ideas that almost any breastfeeding mom would love. Meals—Give her the gift of not having to worry about cooking by...
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Health
From 2009 to 2010, more than one million children went to the doctor for norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Norovirus is an infection that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea in people of all ages. Little...
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Health
Douglas is the Anglicized version of the Scottish surname Dubhghlas. This name is composed of the elements dubh, meaning “dark,” and glais, which means “water” or “river.” Therefore, Douglas can be translated to...
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Pregnancy
Almost every pregnant woman has the same fear: that their bag of water will break in some public place and leave a huge, embarrassing trail of fluid for all to see. Luckily that isn’t the case for many, but here’s a look at what amniotic fluid is...