Sleep Regressions

You’ve done it! All that sleep training has paid off, and your baby has enjoyed weeks of consistent and peaceful sleep! Until he doesn’t. Wait—what just happened? Why is your baby waking up in the middle of the night again? You thought you were done with this!

Don’t despair. Sleep regressions are normal phases that happen at specific times during a child’s development. During a regression, sleep basically falls apart.  However, children and babies who were previously taught to self-soothe and put themselves to sleep tend to go back to a normal sleeping schedule fairly quickly.

If your baby is one of the ages listed below, it’s possible you’re coming up on asleep regression:

6 weeks
4 months
8 (or 9 or 10) months depending on babe’s development and growth

12 months
18 months
2 years

Most sleep regressions are due to the child reaching a developmental milestone. Children’s brains are stimulated to maximum capacities during growth and development spurts, leaving them drained and overly-tired at the end of the day. As mentioned earlier, a child exhausted at bedtime might have frequent night wakings.

Don’t rush to respond or adapt to the Sleep Regression. You’ll only form a new habit of plucking your baby out of bed whenever he cries, and he’ll continue to expect this long after the period of sleep regression has passed. Instead, give your child a little time to attempt self-soothing. It shouldn’t take too long for your babe to go back to his normal sleep schedule.

Sleep regressions can also occur when our little ones are sick, teething, or over stimulated from a new or different experience. Again, the same guidelines apply. Don’t create bad sleeping habits by feeding or playing with your babe each time he wakes. Help him learn to fall back to sleep on his own. It shouldn’t take too long for him to sleep normally again.

Safe Sleep For Babies

It’s the first time your baby has slept a 4 to 5 hour chunk, and you awake completely startled. Realizing babe hasn’t cried out like usual, you rush over to the crib, gently place your hand on his tummy or in front of his face, and wait for reassurance he’s breathing and well.

At some point or another, all moms worry about their babe’s safety during sleep. It’s a very important topic and needs to be addresses and considered. So how do you provide secure, safe sleep for your infant? Look at the tips below and see if there are any adjustments you need to make.

Always place your newborn on his back for nighttime sleep and naps.
Baby should sleep on a firm surface with taut, fitted sheets. Babies should never be placed to sleep on soft surfaces or loose-fitting sheets.
Don’t keep toys, pillows, or blankets in the crib while your baby sleeps. Crib bumpers are also hazardous for small babes.
If you want to co-sleep, that’s fine. But make sure the baby is besideyour bed rather than in it.
Adjust the room temperature between 20 and 23 degrees. Baby should be wearing one extra layer than what mom and dad are wearing.
Wearable blankets and sleep sacks are a much better option than loose blankets.

Know More About : Safe Sleep For Babies

Emotional Intelligence Of Teenagers

Rula is a professional Communication Specialist and Emotional Intelligence EQ and Awareness Enthusiast. She holds both British and Jordanian nationalities, and she is a native Arabic speaker.

Her Civil Engineering background taught her how to critically evaluate things and design dimensions differently, and her work as an
environmentalist allowed her to seek the human developmental needs before thinking about the Built Environment.This lead Rula to find passion in training and inspiring people. Being the bookworm she is, books introduced her to the enticing literature on Emotional Intelligence, which she perceives as the missing puzzle piece in our efforts here in the region for raising public awareness, rebuilding culture and of course sustainable self & cultural development.

Becoming a mom was another addition to Rula’scareer or at least this is how she sees it, it taught her the meaning of emotions on a micro-level,
and filled her with interest to learn more about Neuroscience, and intelligence.

The research she did, guided her to travel to America in 2005, to meet a number of International EQ–Gurus and practitioners, and get inspired by their wisdom and learn from them how to value the power of emotions, to understand truly the intelligence behind this power, and use it to make our lives worthwhile, and positively influence people around us.

She was very lucky to personally meet with and learn from Professor Annabel L. Jensen, the founding President of 6Seconds International, the first certification body for Emotional Intelligence at the time. She became the first EQcertified professional in the Arab region in 2005 And since then, she has been promoting what she’s experiencing in her learning path.

Rula was very lucky to personally meet Stephen-Covey, the best selling author of The 7 Habits of highly effective People, trained with him on the 8th habit, which involved introducing Emotional awareness. She was
lucky to get an inclusive interview with Covey and learn from his knowledge firsthand. She initiated networking with Ayman Sawwaf, a pioneer in emotional intelligence (EQ), co-author of bestselling books Executive EQ, and Sacred Commerce.

In 2005 Rula founded Beity Magazine, the 1st Emotional Intelligence self-help tool in Arabic. She was the Editor-in-Chief until 2011 managing communication quality designed to make a difference. In 2 years, Beity became the No. 1 Family publication in Jordan, with more than 3 million copies distributed in Jordan.

Know More About : Emotional Intelligence Of Teenagers

First Aid – How To Protect Your Kids From Falling

All small children are vulnerable to taking an unexpected tumble, and most of the time this is a harmless part of growing up. However, falls can be dangerous. You can find some information below on how to protect your child from dangerous falls and what to do if a dangerous fall occurs.

How to Protect your Child from Falls

A few simple steps can be taken to minimize the risk of dangerous falls.

Install window stops in open windows and safety gates at the top of staircases in your house.

Shut all doors in your house that lead to high-up balconies.

Install anti-fall devices such as nightlights, bathmats, and safety railings in rooms your child frequents.

While out, you can protect your child by using secure, sturdy strollers and playgrounds with shock-absorbent surfaces.

Your child should always wear a helmet while riding a bike, scooter, or skateboard.

Teach your child to use caution when approaching escalators and potentially slippery surfaces.

What to Do if a Fall Occurs:

Although most falls in children don’t cause serious harm, falls can cause serious bone and head injuries.

Falls sometimes cause broken bones. A child with a broken bone will feel acute pain in the area of the break and often will not be able to move the broken area.

If you suspect your child has a broken bone, you should take them to the hospital or call 911.

Try to move the broken bone as little as possible on your way to the hospital.

Do not try to realign the bone.

Use bandages to stop any bleeding, then apply ice packs to the injured area.

If you think your child may have suffered a head, neck, or spinal injury, do not try to move them and call 9-1-1 immediately.

Falls can also cause concussions. A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head. If you think your child has a concussion, you should take them to see a doctor. If your child is bleeding from their head, you should apply bandages and ice to the affected area.

If your child has passed out or fallen and lost consciousness, you should call 9-1-1, then begin first aid. You can learn first aid by attending an accredited first aid course.

Internal bleeding signs will not appear instantly so make sure to watch your child and go for a hospital imaging when a child falls hard or hit their head and vital parts!

Important Tips For Sending Your Child With Food Allergies To School

Kids with food allergies can enjoy school days safely if the right precautions were taken. It only needs preparation, organization, and education.

Parents, not all efforts fall solely on you, big roles fall on the school, your kid’s classmates and their parents too.

It depends on how aware your child is of the situation, he might be too young to understand the associated risks – in that case, the nursery and kindergarten will need to know how to cope with and be able to handle these conditions.

Here are some simple tips everyone should follow, all the time:

Meet with the teachers, school nurse, administrators, coaches and anyone who has frequent contact with your child and inform them of your child’s allergy and possible signs and symptoms of allergic reactions.
Discuss procedures in place on managing food allergies in the school, classroom, and cafeteria. Provide and fill food allergy emergency plan and necessary health documents from your doctor or allergist.
Discuss the availability, storage, and administration of epinephrine auto-injector if prescribed. Arrange with the school for best practices and clear plans on avoiding the allergen and all cross-contact means.
Do not hesitate to discuss the simple yet important things such as washing one’s hands before and after handling food, using clean utensils and cooking pots, and other hygiene concerns.
Make sure you are always informed and updated on all activities and events especially those that involve food ahead of time to allow time for you to plan and prepare.
Make sure you always leave extra safe snacks and an extra set of clothes (in case something allergic is spilled)
Food labels are there for a reason. Always make sure you read them carefully. You may be surprised to find traces of an allergen in a safe-looking food box.
Remind your child and his classmates NOT to share food. A simple act of love may turn out to be life-threatening.

As parents of children without allergies, please make sure to be mindful and help your children protect their allergic classmates by being proactive and aware. Here are simple tips to help keep your child’s classroom safe for everyone:

Ask your child’s teachers if there are any allergic children in the classroom.
Ask for a list of safe foods and that of allergens to avoid.
Understand that residue of certain allergens can be life-threatening and explain that to your child.
Don’t be afraid to include allergic children in activities and parties, just make sure their parents are contributing food to such events.
Remind your child and his classmates NOT to share food. A simple act of love may turn out to be life-threatening.

We all want peace of mind, especially when it’s about our children, and this requires a strict routine that would eventually become less stressful with time. Don’t forget to communicate with everyone involved, it’s the key to creating safe environments.

Know More About : Important Tips For Sending Your Child With Food Allergies To School

Mama’s Detox and Energy Boost

You’re changing diapers, running errands, kissing scratches and scrapes, and chopping, chopping, chopping—always chopping—healthy treats for your growing tribe. Mama is tired! We all have times we’re especially worn-out and need a boost of energy. And there are many ways to reboot without sabotaging your health. You might be tempted to try out an energy drink. But stop right there—they are loaded with sugar, food colouring, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. Those drinks give your body a jolt of energy, (more like the jitters), and you end with a crash. After the sugar crash, you feel more drained than you did before you had the energy drink. And you’ve put countless, nasty chemicals and toxins into your body. So not worth it. So what’s a better alternative? Let’s stick with whole foods and exercise to improve energy and maintain a healthy weight. Here are a few ideas:

Nuts:

All nuts, like almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts, are a great on-the-go snack. They offer healthy and quality fats and are a good source of protein. The protein helps satisfy your appetite and stabilize blood sugar, keeping your cortisol levels low. Nut oils are also great for your skin. Try snacking on sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, too, which are a good source of protein. Sprinkle nuts and seeds on salads, or toast them in the oven for a few minutes. Add them to your yogurt or a bowl of oatmeal (using 100% rolled oats).

Coconut Water and Oil:

Coconut water increases stamina and endurance. Coconut is a good source of healthy fats and is packed with nutrients. It is also a great source of hydration. Coconut Oil is a huge benefit to add to your everyday cooking and can be added to smoothies.

Smoothies:

If you’re not a big fan of certain veggies, adding them to a smoothie is a great way to hide the taste but reap all the benefits. You can follow certain recipes or make up your own! Always start with a liquid base: water, coconut water, or milk. You can add a handful of ice cubes if you like it chilled or more of a milkshake consistency. Here’s a great recipe to start with Anti-inflammatory Smoothie:

1 stick of celery.
1 cup of sliced cucumber.
1/2 cup of chopped pineapple (fresh).
juice of 1/2 a lime.
1 cup of spinach.
a handful of chopped parsley.
1 1/2 cups of pure coconut water.

Directions: place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This is great for detoxing and healing any inflammation in the body (even in your organs). Getting rid of toxins and inflammation helps you feel energized. Remember: your body is like a machine. If you feed it good, it will work well for you and give out goodness. Nutrition is a huge factor in how we feel. If you give your body bad things, it will feel bad and function poorly. Put good in, get good out. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and parsley are packed with vital nutrients that will fuel your body. Use them in salads and smoothies daily. Smoothies are also a great way to trick your kids into eating vegetables! By adding fruit as a natural sweetener, it will mask the taste of the veggies and the kids will never know they’re in there! Pick a fruit they really like and add whatever veggies you want. Just be careful with things like parsley, cilantro, or kale because adding too much will be overpowering and make it taste bitter. Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to smoothies will help stabilize blood sugar. We mentioned detoxing and greens. Leafy greens are the place to start and the way to go. They offer our bodies plenty of fibre and help clean out our system. Fibre is known to “sweep” our intestines, removing the bulk from our digestive tracks and helping with constipation. Fibre is in many fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. Fibre helps you feel fuller longer—great news to those trying to manage their weight. Another way to detox is through the infused water. Steeping certain ingredients in our water can be of great benefit. And water itself helps to flush out all the bad. Here are a few ideas:

Ginger Tea:

Grate 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of raw ginger and add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric to a teapot. Boil for about 5 minutes. Pour into a cup with any tea. Add 1 tablespoon of honey for a little sweetness (optional).

Ginger and Cucumber Water:
6 cups of filtered water.
1 tablespoon of grated ginger.
1 sliced cucumber.
1 sliced lemon.
1/3 cup of mint leaves.

Directions: Add ingredients to the water and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Drink and enjoy!

Know More About : Mamas Detox and Energy Boost

First Aid: Dealing with burns

Burns is a very common, yet often preventable, injury in children. They occur when the skin is exposed to prolonged sunlight, extreme heat, or dangerous chemicals, and they can range from trivial to deadly. In this article, we will cover prevention and treatment for the three categories of burns: first degree, second degree, and third degree.

First Degree Burns

First degree burns often occur when the skin is exposed to the sun or to minor heat. Symptoms of first-degree burns include redness and pain.

How to prevent?

You can take various measures to keep your child safe from first degree burns, for instance:

Your child should always wear sunscreen.
Additionally, electronic devices such as lights and toasters should be kept out of reach of small children.

If your child gets a first-degree burn, you can treat it by:

applying cooling ointments to the affected area.
Running the burn under cold water for 10 minutes.
The burn does not need to be covered or given advanced medical attention.

Second Degree Burns

Second-degree burns occur when the skin is exposed to extremely hot metals or liquids. Their symptoms include blisters as well as redness and pain.

How to prevent?

The best way to prevent second-degree burns is:

Keep children away from very hot substances like stovetops or boiling water.
Children should always be supervised when cooking.

If your child gets a second-degree burn, you should:

Wash the affected area with cool, salty water for 10 minutes.
Then dry it and apply cooling ointment.
You should also cover the burn with sterile gauze to prevent infection.
The burn does not need to be given advanced medical attention.
DO NOT try to open the blisters by yourself because you might risk infecting the area.
Do not use toothpaste or any common household mixture as the water can do the same cooling effect without any risks.

Third Degree Burns

Third-degree burns can occur when the skin is exposed to direct fire, chemicals, or electricity. They are the most dangerous type of burns and require immediate medical attention. Symptoms of third-degree burns include blackness, a state of shock, severe pain, deformation, and a burning smell.

How to prevent?

It is essential to keep your child away from all substances capable of causing third-degree burns. For instance:

All electrical outlets in your house should be covered.
Dangerous chemicals should be kept on high shelves.

If your child suffers third-degree burns, immediately:

Take them to the hospital or call 9-1-1.
Confirm that they can still breathe and their temperature is remaining constant, as severe burns can cause airway blockages and hypothermia.
If your child has ingested a dangerous chemical and burned their digestive system, do not give them any food or liquids.
If your child is on fire, prevent them from running and cover them with a non-nylon blanket.
Do not roll them on the ground. If the fire is petroleum-based,
Do not try to put it out with water. Cover the area with a plastic bag and go to the hospital immediately.

For more information on burn treatment, consider taking an accredited course in first aid.

Know More About: First Aid: Dealing with burns

6 Issues can be solved with herbs to soothe newborns

Can we use herbs with our newborns and what issues can be solved with herbs?

This is a very common question and you will find the answer in this article.

Using herbs on your newborn is a safe way to help with some little issues that are common with new babies. Not only it makes you feel good to know that you have the ability to help your little one’s body through some minor difficulties all on its own, but it makes you feel good to know that you are not giving your baby something that is going to harm or bring toxins into your baby’s brand-new little body.

1. Umbilical Cord Care

Caring for newborns’ umbilical cord for the first few weeks is important because it can bleed, or get infected, and as you know you are not supposed to keep it wet or put alcohol on. You have to keep it clean, dry, and let it fall off on its own.

Herbs that can help you through this process are calendula and comfrey tea with a tiny bit of castile soap in it. Calendula is an antimicrobial herb, comfrey is a healing to the tissues, and the soap helps to keep it clean and dry without over-drying or getting it too wet where bacteria will grow. Simply mix everything together, dip a cotton swab in it, and gently swab around baby’s cord at diaper changes.

2. Eye Infections

A common complaint is a blocked tear duct which causes a full of eye secretions that would sometimes get a bit swollen in the corner. Eyebright herb is a good remedy just dip a cotton ball in it and rub baby’s eye with it several times a day. You can also drip just a bit of black tea into the corner of the eye and massage that area a bit. Within 4-6 days, it usually opens up and we have no more goopy eyes!

3. Gas

Gas is a common occurrence in newborns whether they’re breastfed or bottle-fed. A new baby’s digestive system is just waking up and getting used to drinking milk and process it all. This can result in uncomfortable gas for them and lots of crying.

A great herbal combo that helps with gas is gripe water*, catnip and fennel infusion. These herbs are known for their help in this area, and on top of helping with gas, catnip is relaxing to baby and fennel tastes good, so you will not have much difficulty getting baby to take this.

What I do is squirt a dropperful of this infusion into baby’s mouth before each nursing session to help counteract any gas that may be caused by nursing incorrectly or from an immature digestive system.

4. Diaper Rash

Diaper rash is another common newborn issue. Diaper rash is less common if you use cloth diapers if you change diapers frequently if baby’s bottom gets some air in between changes, and if you use a natural wipe solution or unscented, alcohol-free wipes during changes. No matter, some babies just get it.

If they do, you can use garlic, chamomile, and calendula to help. You can infuse these into an oil and make a salve or cream to use as a protective barrier for their skin or you can make an infusion with them and use it as a wash during each diaper change. Better yet, you can do both.

5. Cradle Cap

Simply infuse rosemary into some jojoba oil, strain it, and apply that oil to their head, letting it sit for several hours before washing their hair and gently combine the cradle cap out. Rosemary is stimulating to the scalp, so it makes a great addition to this quick cradle cap remedy.

6. Trouble Sleeping

You should start by putting your baby on a good schedule/routine of trying to stay awake for brief periods of time during the day and doing your best not to stimulate them and help soothe them to sleep during nap times and bedtime.

But, if for some reason your child decides they want to stay up all night, you can make a simple, safe herbal glycerite using chamomile, lavender, and catnip to help soothe them to sleep. Give baby half a dropperful before bed and then another half if they wake up to nurse at night.

All these herbs are safe and nontoxic to your child, herbs are a way to help with treatment but you should always go back to your doctor and not rely completely on them.

*Gripe water is made of natural ingredients such as fennel, ginger, chamomile, cardamom, licorice, cinnamon, clove, dill, lemon balm or peppermint depending on the formula.

Know More About : 6 Issues can be solved with herbs to soothe newborns

Moms Share their Kids’ Sleep Success Stories!

Finding the most suitable sleep routine for your baby is a big challenge, because what a kid might like another kid won’t. So, this might leave you frustrated and exhausted sometimes, and you would keep thinking, when will I sleep for one whole night!?

Well, the good news is there are a lot of success stories about sleep routines and sleep training, and what is better is that the people who succeeded are moms, just like you! So, maybe here in this article, you will find comfort and support.

“I started with bedtime routine with my kids as early as the age of 3 months. In the beginning, it included breastfeeding in the living room followed by a bath and then singing a certain lullaby that they like while dressing them in their pajamas. I made sure they had separate outfits for bedtime that differ than day outfits, so they can differentiate daytime from night time. After that, I would put them in their bed, sit next to them sing the same lullaby for five minutes and then I leave. Sometimes they would fall asleep right away and other times I would have to go back and forth for a few times. Each time I would sing the same song. It is hard work and requires persistence and patience, and sometimes will have to start all over again but it is worth it.

I am a mother of two beautiful children, and they were both sleeping on their own in their own bedroom by the age of one.” Mona Said

“I am a mother of two, with my first child, I used to take her the bedroom, feed her a bottle, hug her then let her sleep in my arms while singing a lullaby till she falls asleep, I then put her to bed beside me, we used to co-sleep by the time she became 8 months old she started sleeping through the night. I moved her to her own room when she became 18 months old. But, with my second child, I change the routine now, I feed him, hold him, sing to him till he sleeps, I put him in his own bed by my side, by the time he became 3 months old, he started sleeping through the night and he still does, he is 11 months now, but have not moved him yet to his room.” Sara Khairy

“My Two-year-old slept in her bed from day one, I used to put a used shirt of mine underneath her to soothe her which gave me the chance of sleeping 3-4 hours straight in the first three months, and when she became 4 months old I added a white noise machine and surprisingly it was very helpful, 15 minutes of wind sound or waterfall sound, so when she would fall in deep sleep I would go and turn it off.

As for our bedtime routine, when she was 3 months old it consisted of a warm bath, breastfeeding then bed. And now that I have weaned her, I feed her (yogurt or cheese sandwich) then give her a bath, put her to bed and switch all the lights off, I also give her a small teddy bear to cuddle with while I pat her back.” Heba Hesham Shawka

“First let us say that our babies’ first year will never go in the sleeping syllabus; as they get out of our wombs which they consider as their whole wide world. They sleep and wake up whenever they want for 24 hours a day, they know nothing about day and night, so they will never get that they should sleep because mommy wants to sleep too.

After 6 months of age; some babies do understand the concept of NAPPING but not night bedtime routine and even toddlers sometimes do not.

But let me tell you what really worked with me; waking the babies/toddlers up very early and involving them into activities the whole day will make them, surely, fall asleep at night easily cause their brains and bodies begin to turn off gradually.” Reham Adel M.roushd

“My baby is 9 months old now, I started with a bedtime routine when she was 3 months old; I used to put her in the bouncer, sing to her and lower the lights, she would fall asleep and then I would take her to her own bed beside me. But, when she became 5 months old, I changed the routine to giving her a warm bath, let her play with my toothbrush while I try to massage her on the bath chair, after that I feed her, dim the lights, she plays with my face and then she sleeps. Sometimes she cries after she finishes her bottle, so I hold her and walk her for a bit repeating the sound “Shhhhhh”. We still do not have a fixed time for sleeping as it depends on when we get back home.” Yomna Osama

“My baby is 4 months old now. Every day and before bedtime, I give him a bath, change his diaper, then feed him a bottle. My secret is that I use the smell method where I put on him baby cologne, hug him before I put him to bed, turn off the lights. Some nights I swaddle him and other nights I do not, singing to him is always an option. But, I do not give him the pacifier so it takes him 20 minutes to actually fall asleep sometimes, and if he wakes up in an hour or so, I keep the lights off, I hold him tight, walk him till he goes back to sleep. My rule is that whatever happens I never turn on the lights!” Hadeer Ahmad

Know More About : Moms Share their Kids’ Sleep Success Stories!

Winter time and your child’s sleep schedule

After Your babies and toddlers are into their routine again after the summer holidays yet another change that is most likely going to affect their sleep, which is winter time. I say likely here because some children are not affected at all by this change, and they adjust their biological clocks by themselves. You are lucky if you have one of these children. As for the other moms, including myself, you can find below some tips that will help you in preventing the early wake ups and the crankiness that result from the change to winter time.

To explain: if your children wakes up at 6 AM for example and weren’t able to adjust by themselves to the new wintertime, then they will start waking up at 5 AM. Why? Because it feels like 6 AM to them, and the fact of the matter is that it was 6 AM just a day or two ago.

So what can you do:

Try pushing all your child’s schedule by a full hour, starting gradually 10 days or a week ahead of the time of change. For example start with pushing the nap time so it starts 10 to 15 minutes later than it is scheduled. Also push meal time and bedtime by the same interval. If you think your child will be very cranky, try to push the schedule by 10 minutes only at a time. At the time of the change your child in the example above will wake up 6:45AM or ideally 7AM, which means that after the time change takes effect, the wake up time will be at 6 AM.

During the time when your child is awake, make sure they get plenty of exposure to play and daylightduring that period. This will help your child get better quality of sleep during the night.

It is going to be more difficult for early risers, because it means that 5 AM will become 4AM. Ouch! However you can make it easier for them by implementing the first step above and hoping for the best.

The need for continuous changes in your child’s sleep schedule may seem frustrating sometimes, but a bit of organization and management go a long way. And in the end you reap the results of your efforts when you see your child well rested and thriving.

Know More About: Winter time and your child’s sleep schedule