Earth Babies Blog

Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

We were given this niffy new gadget to try. I am all for making life easier, as moms we are  juggling 101 things a time and seperating and blending food for a baby starting solids is time consuming. Going out can also be a mission, the wean machine in an easy way to solve these problems.

My baby is not at the stage of weaning yet, but I asked Elaine to try it out ” As a busy mom of 4 this is a handy gadget, I could make a portion of food for the baby at the table when sitting down for the family meal, I did not have to worry about getting the blender out. Going out was great it fits in your bag and is so easy to clean, I highly recommend the wean machine”

The Wean Machine™   Fill, Squeeze and Feed Your Baby anywhere at anytime

A clever, feeding device that will make parents and caregivers lives easier. It is called The Wean Machine™

The idea for the Wean Machine™ stems from a desire to provide parents with a device that will help them prepare their baby’s food quickly and easily. The Wean Machine does away with the need for large electronic blenders and out dated moulee machines. To date there has been nothing available on the market that can be sterilized and used outside of the home.

“I needed something that could puree anything from half of a banana to a selection of food from my own plate without the bother of setting up a blender.- something that I could use if I was out for lunch just as easily as if I were at home eating with my family.” states inventor Tilly Beazeley.

One of the many benefits of the Wean Machine™ is that it is ideal for use with soft fruits and cooked vegetables as well as fish and pastas. It can produce foods suitable for children at all weaning stages. This is a huge plus for busy parents who then would not need to prepare special foods for their babies. They would just fill, squeeze and feed; no noise, no mess, and no fuss.

“We’re very excited about offering the Wean Machine™ to South Africans and we’re sure parents will find The Wean Machine™ genuinely useful and easy to use.” Explains Mark Lipshitz of BabyGO. “The Wean Machine™ is the latest in convenient food preparation for babies. It’s easy to use, handy and incredibly well-designed.”

Manufactured by Jackson Beazeley Ltd, The Wean Machine™ has many benefits:

• Helps through each stage of weaning
• Easy to use – fill, squeeze and feed
• Saves time and money, no need to cook separate meals
• Portable, compact and self contained spoon attached
• Dishwasher safe
• Eco friendly, contains no BPA’s, Philates or PVC
• Complies with all US and International safety standards

It’s a must to add to your bag when visiting, picnicking, or going out to a restaurant. Whatever meal has been prepared for you … fill the Wean Machine™, squeeze the handles together and the food is ready for your child to eat.

I have shared this link before but felt the need to post it once more as everyone should read this and read it again every few months to remind themselves to be aware.

Drowning does not look like drowning.

And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.

When can you start swimming with babies?

It is not advised starting swimming lessons before 6 months as prior to this their immune system is considered too immature to be exposed to the natural risks that come with public swimming. Parents do need to take into consideration though the pro’s and cons of swimming lessons before enrolling for this activity. It is not an essential skill for babies but is a wonderful learning experience for both parents and babies/toddlers.

(The American Academy of Paediatricians does not recommend swimming lessons as such for children under 4 years of age).

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Do unto your children as you would have other people do unto your children.

Everyone, children included experience both positive and negative emotions – you cannot prevent them from experiencing negatives but your role as parent is to teach them how to cope. Coping with emotion is not an inborn instinct, it is something that needs to be learnt through experience, guidance, following examples and repetition.

3 most basic tips:
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(this was posted on a forum – so cute and true, I had to share)
by Dr. Burton L. White

if you wont climb off, i'll climb on

If I give it to you and change my mind later,
IT’S MINE!

If I can take it away from you,
IT’S MINE!

If it’s mine it will never belong to anybody else,
No matter what.
If we are building something together,
All the pieces are mine!

If it looks just like mine,
IT’S MINE!

If it breaks or needs putting away,
IT’S YOURS!

This is always a concern for parents 2nd time around – how will the older child take to the new baby. Are they going to feel jealous, neglected, like you no longer love them? Are you going to be able to love more than one child?

To the last question – YES you are, there is no deep explanation other than love has no limits there is always enough to go around … now time is another matter

Preparing for a new baby:
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Do you encourage independence in your children? Do you judge a mother (me ) waiting in a car while her child runs in to a shop as lazy? Do you teach distrust of all strangers? Do you try push or persuade them to do things they do not want to, speak to strangers etc?

My approach with my kids is a bit of a mix of very protective and giving them lots of space.

For me independence is a form of self confidence and trust in ones own judgement and instincts and I try to nurture and grow this in my kids but sometimes feel like I am getting it all wrong.
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Today for the first time EVER (because she refused and not because we could not), my daughter is wearing a ponytail. It is a very scruffy thin little bundle on her head but I am in ponytail-love heaven.

One of the reasons I love her hair up is then I get to see the back of her little ears and the little dent at the back of her neck – these make my heart mushy. With my son it is the sweep of his lashes on his cheekbones, the dimple on his right cheek when he smiles, the double dents (dimples) just above his bum. With both of them I love that they still have dimples instead of knuckles and their kissy lips ♥swoon♥.

dimple

little ears

Share – what is it for you??

answered by Erica Neser – South African author of Sleep Guide for Babies and Toddlers.

• What is the difference between normal baby sleep behaviour and a true sleep problem?

The reality is that most babies wake at night, even several times per night, for at least the first year, and often even until 3 years. Most babies wake on average 2–3 times at night until they are 6 months old, 1–2 times between 6–12 months, and once a night between 1–2 years. This is considered ‘normal’ sleep behaviour. Breastfed babies tend to feed more often than bottle-fed babies, both day and night, due to the fact that breastmilk – the ‘perfect food’ for babies – digests easily and quite quickly. A true sleep problem is where a baby wakes much more than these figures, stays awake for extended periods at night, is very hard to settle or does not sleep adequately during the day.

a Barb disclaimer: I do know babies are not meant to tummy sleep

• What are the most common reasons for waking?

Loneliness (in other words, needing to be close to mother’s milk, warmth and protection), hunger, thirst, illness, teething, milestones such as crawling and walking, habit, too hot or too cold, needing a sleep association to be returned (e.g. Mummy’s loving arms, dummy etc.)

• What is the average age (as a guide) that one can realistically help them to sleep

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(I originally wrote this for @play in Cape Town)

“It takes two people to communicate – one to talk and the other to listen.”

Many of us live in a two language household – how to approach this is a concern. Do you only teach one language or do you raise them bilingual? If bilingual how do you approach this – do you each speak both languages, alternate from week to week or each parent speaks their mother tongue?

How to approach raising a bilingual child:
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