Page 9 - Family & Parenting
Family & Parenting
Travel
July 23, 2012
When some friends came to town over the weekend, we were excited to learn that they wanted to head to the zoo. It’s one of my family’s favorite places because there seems to be an attraction for everyone. Whether it’s the monkey habitat, the dolphin show, or the thrilling new bug invasion, there’s always something exciting to see. But finding our way to all those exhibits includes a whole heap of walking – enough to tire out any little munchkin.
In planning out our trip, I already knew I wanted to bring our double stroller along with our Ergoaby carrier so we could carry the baby when necessary and still give each of our little boys a place to sit when they got tired. The baby is always happier being nearest to us and wearing her makes it easy to keep track of her in the crowded exhibits.
But the morning of the zoo trip, I ended up in the local emergency room with a sprained foot. Unfortunately for everyone, I was relegated to an air cast and crutches. Since I was in no condition to go
Family & Parenting
Travel
July 19, 2012
I'm not the kind of Mom who's content to stay home all day; which could kind of be a problem for someone whose primary job title is stay-at-home-mom. Instead of hanging around the house, my kids and I venture into the outdoors quite a bit. One of our favorite activities is hiking; it's accessible, affordable and just plain awesome. I have 3 kids ranging in ages from 0-5. We rarely make it more than a mile or two down the trail, but then again distance isn’t really my primary objective these days. I'm more interested in being outside. I welcome the distractions my kids stumble upon: a rock to climb, a bug to catch, birds to watch, ant hill to observe, a stick that looks like a chainsaw, monsters that need to be taken care of… The goal is just being outside. In order to make getting three kids out of the house and onto the trail as quick and easy as possible I keep my backpack stocked at all times. Here's a list of items I'd recommend keeping in your pack for a potential outing
Family & Parenting
Travel
July 10, 2012
See the mom in this photo? She’s been a mom for exactly one year. You see a happy smile, bright eyes, and a one-year old in a baby carrier. She is me. I am the mother in this photo. But… there is so much more you don’t see. Let me show you. Like most mothers, I dreamed only of snuggling my baby close to me when he arrived – that mysterious child who rode underneath my heart for nine months – I wanted him to hear my heartbeat as long as possible. However, struggles with breastfeeding, as well as severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine), made this impossible. Tears, as I tried to hold my baby close, only to recoil in pain caused by months of struggles with breastfeeding. Discouragement, as I tossed aside yet another carrier style because within minutes my back and shoulders were in searing pain. You see, most carriers I tried (I even made one myself), either put the baby’s weight on my shoulders, or asymmetrically across my body. Since my spine is curved badly, one shoulder is slightly higher
Family & Parenting
June 26, 2012
Summer time is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and you'll always be prepared with your Summer Survival Kit and your Ergobaby Carrier. But after all the exploration, adventure and sun, what to do once you are home? Relax, unwind and read baby a book, of course! We can think of no better way to continue to bond and snuggle with baby than with a great book. Or add a book to your backpack kit for relaxing reads at the beach or on a picnic!
Here's our list of all time favorite books for babies under one year old, which we put together with help from our expert children's librarian.
Books for Under 1 year:
Houghton Mifflin the Nation's Choice: Little Big Book Theme 10 Grade K Splash! (Little big books) - Flora McDonnell
Baby elephant discovers a way to cool all the animals.
Hush Little Baby - Sylvia Long
Lovely variation on a traditional American lullaby; Long's poetic and soothing words are accompanied by delicate illustrations.
The Baby Goes Beep - Rebecca
Family & Parenting
June 13, 2012
This month is Gay Pride and we want to hear from our LGBT Parents! In honor of Pride this month, we are kicking off an LGBT Parents Series, as part of our "We Are Family" series. Tell us your story. How have you grown your family? Adoption, surrogacy, sperm donation, IVF, or a combination? How has babywearing helped you bond with your baby? How has it helped your partner or donor bond with your baby? Do you have one carrier and share it? Or does each partner have a carrier? Submit your story (at least 500 words), complete with pictures (3-6 photos total and at least one should be with an Ergobaby Carrier!) to submissions@ergobaby.com. If your story is chosen to feature on the blog, we'll send you a carrier of your choice. We'll be posting stories throughout the month, but this will be an ongoing series on the blog, part of the "We Are Family" series...so we'd love to hear from you! Rules and other legal stuff:
Posts should be 500-1000 words.
All relevant
Family & Parenting
September 01, 2011
“Attachment parenting,” as we know it, comes from the work of Dr. William Sears and his wife Martha Sears, R.N. They were among the leading proponents of attachment parenting in America. But the original idea comes from John Bowlby, a British psychiatrist, physician and writer. Born in 1907, he was raised by a nanny in his home, where he saw his mother only at exact times of the day, teatime for one hour. This was not uncommon at that time with the upper class. He was very attached to his nanny, but after 5 years, she had to leave. He was devastated, and, at age 7, he was sent away to boarding school. This was very difficult for him and he suffered tremendously. He was quoted in his book, Separation: Anxiety and Anger, as saying; "I wouldn't send a dog away to boarding school at age seven."[1] Because of his own experiences, he continued to have sensitivity towards children for his whole life. He did not consider boarding school a bad thing for children over the age of eight, or
Family & Parenting
September 01, 2011
Translated from German by Rita Newman, Pediatric neurologist & ERGOparent Expert –
Attachment ”Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space.“ ~ John Bowlby John Bowlby (1907-1991) a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst living in London, and Mary Ainsworth (1913-1999) are considered to be the pioneers of the attachment theory. According to their extensive research, attachment to a human being or caregiver is the natural need of an infant in which the attachment becomes a safe emotional haven for them. Carrying babies in a wraparound baby carrier or an ergonomic comfort carrier will, for example, assist in the development of secure attachment as it brings the baby in physical contact with its caregiver. The secure attachment Particularly important, for the development of secure attachment, is the appropriate response towards the respective needs of infants. Ainsworth calls these reactions "maternal sensitivity." The following
Family & Parenting
August 01, 2011
Touch has been called "the mother of the senses": perhaps because it was the first to develop in evolution. Touch is defined as "the most general of the bodily senses, diffused through all parts of the skin, but in humans, especially developed in the tips of the fingers and the lips." The fingers and lips have a disproportionately large number of neurons that travel to and from the brain. Thus they are the means by which the infant does most of its early learning; hence the need for “baby-proofing.” Touch is the earliest sensory system to develop. When a human embryo is less than an inch long and less than two months gestation, the skin is already highly developed. For example, when the palm is touched at two months gestation, the fingers grasp the palm. The fingers and thumb will close at three months when the palm is touched. Touch can have strong effects on our physiology. When the skin is touched, that stimulation is quickly transmitted to the brain, which in turn regulates our physiology.
Family & Parenting
August 01, 2011
When we say that something is “touching,” or we are “touched by” something, we mean that we are somehow moved by it emotionally; that it reaches a place deep within our hearts. This also happens with massage. When we are relaxed enough, and in “touch with” our bodies enough, we are able to access a place inside where all is well in our world. This state is most important in keeping babies and their caretakers happy, healthy, and bonded. Babies are like little stars that came to earth. Their light will shine brighter and brighter as they grow and laugh and feel enveloped in the love that you will bring to them. As parents in a busy world, relaxation is often an overlooked aspect of our health. We make the time to exercise, eat right and hopefully sleep enough, but when it comes time to relax we often are remiss in giving ourselves that “luxury.” How many times do we mean to meditate, stretch, do yoga, take a walk, pray, or take a long hot bath? Not often enough. It’s important to remember
Family & Parenting
Travel
May 02, 2011
“Jet with Kids is an easy to read and highly informative guide to traveling by air with children. Ms. Clowers is an RN who has logged hundreds of thousands of miles on airplanes around the world, has moved through airports large and small, and has asked all the right questions wherever she has gone. Now the mother of a young child, Ms. Clowers has reviewed every aspect of flying with children and consolidated her best advice in this book. She demystifies the numerous rules and regulations surrounding travel in our post 9/11 era; provides practical advice for navigating the terrain of airports and airplanes that essentially are not child friendly territory; covers topics as far afield as how to breast feed on a plane and what documentation you need to take a grandchild with you to a foreign country; a section I have just benefited from. The book reflects Anya's love of and comfort with flying and her desire to help others share this. She brings her wisdom as well as lots of great, practical