Healthy
Pregnancy article here
Choosing
Toys for Babies
By Elizabeth Pantley, Author of Gentle Baby Care
You
may not be sure what kind of toys, or how many, you baby should
have. It’s likely that you hear conflicting advice that
runs from one extreme to another! It’s either: “Don’t
give your baby toys ? he’ll be spoiled,” to “Give
your baby lots of toys ? they develop his brain.” So…which
is it?
Both
sides of this debate have valid points. A baby does indeed learn
from the things she plays with, and the more things she has
access to, the more she can learn. With this in mind, many parents
spend a fortune buying toys; however, many toys hold a child’s
attention for three or four days, only to be relegated to the
bottom of the toybox or back of a shelf.
Babies
learn about their world by using all five of their senses: sight,
hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Toys engage and refine these
senses by:
1
Helping your baby learn how to control his movements and body
parts
2 Helping your baby figure out how things work
3 Showing your baby how he can control things in his world
4 Teaching your baby new ideas
5 Building your baby’s muscle control, coordination, and
strength
6 Teaching your baby how to use his imagination
7 Showing your baby how to solve simple problems
8 Helping your baby learn how to play by himself
9 Setting the foundation for learning how to share and cooperate
with others
Experts
agree that babies need a variety of toys to enrich their lives
and encourage learning. While your baby can learn from expensive
store-bought toys, she can also learn from a crumpled piece
of paper, a set of measuring spoons, an empty box, or a leaf.
Everything is new and interesting to a baby, and if you open
your eyes to the many wonders in our world, you’ll see
that you don’t have to spend a fortune to keep your baby
happy, interested, and learning.
What
“home-grown” toys are best?
As you view the whole world as a bottomless toy box, here are
some tips to consider:
-
Search for items of different weights, materials, textures,
flexibility, sizes, shapes, colors, and smells. (Most store-bought
baby toys are primary-colored plastic; that’s why your
metal keys on a leather key ring are so very appealing ? they’re
different!)
-
Babies are generalists. Your little one will apply what he
learns from one object to any other that is similar. Therefore,
don’t give him an old book or magazine to scribble in
unless you want all of your books to be potential notepads.
A sealed bottle may look fun, but your baby may then think
he can play with your pill bottles.
-
Take a closer look at the things you consider “trash.”
Some may be valuable toys! Empty boxes, egg cartons, and tin
containers are just a few examples of everyday castoffs that,
once cleaned, can provide endless hours of play.
PARENT
TIP
“I made a great set of blocks for my daughter by collecting
an assortment of empty boxes from regular household products
and covering them with contact paper. They are colorful, light
weight and man interesting shapes and sizes.”
Yu-ting, mother of Shu-Lin (3 years old)
-
Your kitchen is overflowing with baby toys! Once your little
one begins to crawl, it’s time to rearrange the kitchen.
Put all your baby-safe items, such as plastic containers,
pots and pans, potholders and canned goods, in your lower
cabinets and let your baby know where his “toys”
are. You’ll have to relax your housekeeping standards
and deal with disorganized cabinets for a while, but the play
potential is so fantastic that it’s worth it!
-
Young children love water play, and a bowl or pan of water
along with spoons and cups of various sizes make a fabulous
source of fun. You can put your baby in his high chair, sit
him on the floor on a beach towel, or take him outside in
a shady spot if the weather’s warm. I guarantee he’ll
be soaked when he’s done, but that will be after a very
long and happy play session.
-
Containers to fill and empty are lots of fun for a baby. You
can safely fulfill your older baby’s desire to manipulate
small things by filling a large bowl with a variety of colorful
children’s cereals (nothing hard or ball-shaped) and
supplying spoons, measuring cups, and other containers. Since
you’re using cereal pieces, it’s okay if some
end up in his mouth. Don’t try this with beads, seeds,
macaroni, or other items that pose a choking hazard.
What
store-bought toys are best?
A while ago, I went to the toy store to buy my youngest child,
Coleton, a toy that my older three adored when they were babies.
It was a simple pop-up toy for toddlers with various buttons,
levers, and dials. I found a bewildering variety of this kind
of toy, but to my dismay, every single one was electronic. They
made sounds, they made music, they had blinking lights ? they
just about played by themselves! I finally had to order the
prized toy from a specialty catalog that carries “back
to basics” toys. Sure, electronic toys can be exciting
? for a while ? but they can also stunt your baby’s developing
ability to imagine and manipulate (and let’s face it:
those repetitive electronic sounds can get annoying). If a toy
does everything by itself, it loses its potential as a tool
for developing creativity. Also, if your little one gets used
to these toys, then simple pleasures like wooden blocks seem
boring by comparison because he expects the blocks to play for
him. And those simple toys are among the very best for baby
playtime.
- Look
for these qualities as you shop for your baby:
-
Long-term play value: Will this hold your little one’s
attention for more than a few weeks?
-
Durability: Will it hold up when sat on, thrown, jumped on,
mouthed, or banged?
-
Solid simplicity: Babies don’t need complicated toys.
-
Challenge: Look for toys that teach but do not frustrate.
-
Appropriateness. Does it match your baby’s thinking,
language, and motor skills?
-
Interest: Will it encourage your baby to think?
-
Stimulation: How does this toy foster creativity and imagination?
-
Interactiveness: Does it engage your child or just entertain
him as he watches passively?
-
Versatility: Can your baby play with this in more than one
way?
-
Wash ability: Well-loved toys tend to get very dirty!
-
Fit with your family value system: Does this toy reflect your
family’s particular values? For example, is the toy
friendly to the environment? Does it promote diversity? Are
you comfortable with what the toy represents?
-
Novelty: Is this toy different from others your baby already
has? You don’t want a toy box filled with 30 different
kinds of rattles!
-
Fun appeal: Is it something that you will enjoy playing with,
too? Toys that encourage you to play along with your baby
are ideal.
Best
toys for young babies:
Board
books
Foot or hand puppets
Musical toys
Rattles
Small, lightweight, easy-to-grasp toys
Squeaky toys
Teething rings
Toys with high-contrast graphics, bright colors, or black-and-white
patterns
Best
toys for older babies:
Activity
boxes (levers/buttons/dials/hinges)
Balls
Beginning puzzles (two or three large pieces; knobs are helpful)
Blocks
Cars and trucks
Chunky small people and accessories
Dolls and stuffed animals
Hammering toys
Large interlocking beads
Modeling dough
Musical toys
Nesting cups
Peg boards
Picture books
Plastic animals
Pop-up toys
Push or pull toys
Shape sorters
Stacking rings
Toy versions of everyday items (telephones, cooking utensils,
doctor kits)
Toys you still remember from your childhood (The classics endure
and are always a good bet!)
Washable crayons or markers and blank paper
Playtime
As
you give you baby new things to play with, keep in mind that
there is no right way to play with toys. For example, a puzzle
is not always for “puzzling.” The pieces make great
manipulative characters, can be sorted or put in boxes, and
make interesting noises when banged together or against an empty
pot. Children learn through play, so any toy they enjoy playing
with is, by definition, educational.
Safety
for all toys
Always consider well the safety aspects of anything your baby
is going to play with. Here are a few ways to keep playtime
safe:
-
Discard any plastic wrapping, plastic bags, packaging, or
tags before giving a toy to a baby.
- Always
watch for choking hazards. Anything small enough to fit in
your baby’s mouth has the potential for danger. Watch
for pieces that may become loose from a larger object, too.
Make sure that no small parts can be pulled off or chewed
off the toy.
-
Check the paint or finish on the toy to make sure it is non-toxic,
since babies put everything in their mouths.
-
Check toys for sharp points, rough edges, rust, and broken
parts.
-
Always abide by the age rating on the package. No matter how
smart your child is or how wonderful the toy, don't second-guess
the manufacturer, since age rankings often are given due to
safety issues. If you choose to purchase a toy with an older
age recommendation, make certain that the toy is used only
when you are playing with your baby, and that it is stored
where your baby can’t get to it without your supervision.
-
Remove rattles, squeeze toys, teethers, stuffed animals, and
other small toys from the crib or bed when your baby goes
to sleep for naps or bedtime. The exception here is a specialty
made-for-baby toy that has been carefully created to be a
safe sleeping lovey.
-
Avoid pull toys with long cords that could wind around your
baby’s neck. Pull toys for babies should have either
very short strings or rigid handles.
-
Make sure toys are properly assembled, with no loose parts.
-
Beware of excessively loud toys. Babies tend to hold things
close to their faces, and you want to protect your baby’s
sensitive ears.
-
Buy mobiles or crib toys from reputable manufacturers, and
make sure that they attach to the crib without dangling strings.
Remove mobiles and other crib toys once your baby can sit
up.
-
Make sure that toys are never left on stairs, in doorways,
or in walkways.
-
Your baby’s toybox should have a special safety lid
(or no lid at all) to prevent it from slamming on your baby's
head or hands, or trapping your baby inside. There shouldn’t
be any hinges that could pinch little fingers.
-
Never give a baby a balloon, Styrofoam, or plastic wrap as
a toy; these present a serious choking hazard, since they
cannot be expelled using the Heimlich maneuver.
-
If a toy is second-hand (whether purchased from a second-hand
store or garage sale, or given to you by a friend or relative),
give all of the above rules extra consideration. If you have
any doubts, always err on the side of safety and discard the
toy. Don’t let your baby play with a paint-finished
toy that appears to be older than a few years ? the paint
may be lead-based, which poses serious hazards to a baby who
touches or mouths it.
-
Keep toys (and parts of toys) designed for older children
out of the hands of babies. Your baby may like to play with
toys belonging to an older sibling or friend, but these are
geared, safety-wise, to older kids and are not safe for little
ones to use without very close supervision.
This article is an excerpt from Gentle Baby Care by Elizabeth
Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003) http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth
Healthy
Pregnancy
It is well known that low-risk pregnant women have more options
when it comes to their upcoming birth than their high-risk counterparts.
That is why it is so important that mothers learn early in their
pregnancy how to best stay healthy and low risk. There are five
major factors in staying healthy throughout pregnancy: exercise,
good nutrition, education, relaxation and responsibility.
First, it is important to note that there are some natural discomforts
that come along with being pregnant. These may include backaches,
headaches, fatigue, and leg cramps. More often than not, good
nutrition and exercise can ease many of these discomforts. It
is important to discuss with your health care provider any questions
or concerns you may have during pregnancy. Remember each woman
and pregnancy is unique therefore what may work for one mother
or pregnancy may not work for another.
In your quest for a healthy pregnancy you will want to make
sure exercise is a part of your daily routine. Regular physical
exercise such as walking or swimming helps prepare your body
to develop the strength and stamina your body will need for
the upcoming birth.
There are a range of daily pregnancy exercises that you should
learn to tone the muscles you will be using through labor. Tailor
sitting, which is sitting crossed-legged on the floor, really
helps to stretch your inner thigh muscles, moves your uterus
forward and increases circulation. This is something simple
and can be done in the evening when you are reading a book or
watching television. Another easy and helpful exercise is the
pelvic rock. This is a great help in eliminating so many trips
to the rest room through the night and can help relieve lower
back pain. This exercise is done by getting on all fours, letting
your pelvis tilt forward, then level and tuck your hips under.
Movement is only from the pelvis. Do it in intervals throughout
the day and before you go to bed at night. Remembering to squat
instead of bending over when you need to pick up something is
beneficial as well. Squatting can be used to open the outlet
of the pelvis by 10-15 %, which can shorten second stage labor
and helps prepare your leg muscles also. The butterfly exercise
and kegeling are also important exercises to do everyday through
pregnancy. Susan McCutcheaon’s book , Natural Childbirth:
The Bradley Way, explains these and other exercises in further
detail.
Eating a well-balanced diet is the most important thing you
can do everyday to keep yourself healthy and low-risk. Poor
nutrition can result in an increase in infections, low-birth
weight and anemia. Dr. Brewer is an expert in prenatal nutrition
and has designed a diet that is optimal for pregnant women.
In his vast years of experience he has proven that a well-balanced
diet is the BEST insurance a pregnant woman has for a healthy,
strong baby. Basically, your goal should be 80-100 grams of
protein daily, eating to appetite. This applies to vegetarians
and meat eaters alike. By starting off your day with two eggs
and a quart of milk you are getting most of the minerals and
nutrients your body needs. Salting your food to taste is also
important, as this helps guarantee a safe increase in blood
volume. For more information read Dr. Brewer's book What Every
Pregnant Woman Should Know or visit Dr. Brewer’s website
at www.blueribbonbaby.org
Educating yourself is essential in order to optimize your desired
pregnancy and birth. Ask around to other parents that you respect
and learn from their experiences. Read what you can about pregnancy,
labor and birth. Find an early pregnancy class and then find
a series of childbirth classes that best suit your needs and
fits your schedule. Make sure the instructor is qualified and
that he/she truly has your best interests at heart. Be careful
of classes that only tell you the rules and regulations of their
birthing facilities but do not offer any information or techniques
for labor. Try to find a comprehensive class covering nutrition,
exercise, the stages of labor and relaxation techniques. The
more informed you are, the better decisions you will be able
to make during childbirth.
Taking responsibility means that you take care of the baby in
utero just as you would after the baby is born. This involves
protecting your baby from things that would be harmful such
as cigarette smoke, alcohol or environmental hazards. The American
Academy of Pediatrics has stated that there are NO drugs proven
to be safe for an unborn baby. So in taking responsibility,
these things need to be considered. It can be something as small
as not skipping a meal or making sure you are wearing your seatbelt.
This helps you to do the best for your child now and in the
future.
Relaxation plays an important role for a healthy pregnancy.
Relaxation helps the mother to reduce stress and prepare her
for labor. Physical, mental and emotional relaxation are all
needed for an unmedicated labor to progress normally. By mastering
different relaxation methods, the pregnant couple is often able
to eliminate or reduce any unnecessary pain during labor. You
can learn various relaxation techniques in your childbirth class
as well as through various pregnancy books. To be able to use
relaxation as an effective tool for pain management these techniques
need to be practiced daily for 10-12 weeks. Once these techniques
are mastered they are an invaluable tool for a successful labor.
You can learn relaxation techniques in your childbirth classes
as well as through various pregnancy books.
In conclusion, these five factors can really play a major role
in you having a healthy, low- risk pregnancy. Take an active
role in your pregnancy. Seek out the best in prenatal care and
have open communication with your health care providers. By
doing these things you know you are getting your bundle of joy
off to a great start.
If you are pregnant, you may want to consider taking courses
in The Bradley Method. These basic principles are endorsed in
this 12-week course. If you live in the Knoxville, TN area feel
free to visit www.childorganics.com/birth.html
for more information. You can also can be reached me, Erica
Keil, at 877-386-8628. For instructors in other locations please
visit www.bradleybirth.com
