Pacifiers are both a godsend and a major pain in the you-know-what. They magically soothe babies and put them to sleep, but when it comes time for a toddler to say goodbye to their beloved "nukie," it's torture for everyone.
We're going through that right now. Though many experts recommend waiting for kids to give up the pacifier on their own, our pediatric dentist has told us we really can't wait much longer or we'll risk permanent damage to her teeth. And so we've chosen this week to buckle down and do it ... which may explain why I tried to go the grocery store yesterday with two different shoes on. Sleep is definitely at a shortage around here right now.
If it's time for your toddler or preschooler to say goodbye to her beloved pacifier, here are a few things I've learned:
I receive many emails and letters every week asking for my advice on parenting issues. Well, this week, I'm asking readers to give me advice on my current parenting dilemma -- kids sleeping in our bed!
Here's the lowdown: as many of you know, I have five kids. The youngest, Paloma, is five months old and sleeps in a co-sleeper next to my side of the bed. She still gets up five times a night to nurse and/or use my breast as a pacifier. Upon hearing this, a good friend recommended I buy a pacifier. Though I never used one with my other kids, I bought one and Paloma likes it and uses it. Unfortunately, she often loses it during the night which results in her waking up and my having to wake up to find it or nurse her back to sleep. My two year-old, John-Paul, sleeps most of the night in a crib in his room. However, he wakes up every morning at 4:30 am screaming at the top of his lungs to be taken out of his crib. He's stubborn and loud so we end up getting up and bringing him to our bed because we don't want his screams to wake up the baby. Our four year-old, Lucia, and six year-old, Jack, will also come into our bed, though the days and times vary. There are mornings when we wake up to all three kids in the bed. Recently, we purchased bunk beds and instead of storing the old toddler bed in the basement, we put it in our room in hopes that at least one of them would sleep in it. Occasionally, Lucia will, but inevitably, she ends up in our bed before the night is over.
Having kids in the bed disrupts our sleep and God knows that parents with five kids need their sleep. On the other hand, we know that this stage is limited (our nine year-old no longer comes to our bed at night ) and that we will one day pine for the days when our kids loved to crawl in our bed and cuddle. What should we do?
Some folks claim they don't dream at all, others that they do every night, and quite vividly. Some of us lurk somewhere in the middle, but become very avid dreamers when we're pregnant. Weird pregnancy dreams are nothing new to the mother-to-be community, and should certainly not be something that puts fear into a new or soon-to-be mom. Still, some of the things we dream about when we're pregnant shock us, or at the very least give us pause.
Some of us feel that much about our soon-to-be children are revealed in dreams. What they'll be like, how they'll look, even what they should be named have all come up in conversations I've had with other moms who had memorable pregnancy dreams. When I was pregnant with my son I had a dream that God wrote his name in the sky. It was Avery. I didn't end up naming my son that, but it was a good name I worked with for a long time before moving on to something else. I felt like this otherwordly force was trying to tell me something. My friend actually ended up naming her daughter Avery, so I think we're all squared away--it's a great name.
Some women dream more about the birth than anything. It's not uncommon to dream of birthing an animal. I guess there's something Freudian to all that, but to me it just says you're nervous about the impending arrival of something very important and that you want it to go the way you hope it will. You know, like having a baby instead of, say, a chicken. It's not uncommon for gals to dream they birth dogs and cats and all manner of things. It's also not uncommon to dream of weird occurrences during labor. I keep dreaming, for example, that my water won't break, and that my labor will start and then stop just as the doctors attend me. Those dreams seem pretty self-explanatory, but I'm not so sure about the birthing a chicken thing.
What about you? Did you have any memorable dreams during your pregnancy? Anything truly weird and seemingly without explanation you'd like to share?
The U.S. Consumer Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 600,000 Simplicity Brand Drop Side Cribs due to an entrapment and suffocation hazard. The drop side can come off the tracks and create a gap in which a baby could become trapped. There has been at least nine incidents of this happening, fortunately with no injuries.
The recall includes cribs with the following model numbers: 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8778, 8810, and 8994. On a label on the headboard under the mattress support, you will find a date code. If your date code ends in 05DH, 05GB, 06DH, 06GB, 07DH or 07GB, your crib is included in the recall. The model names being recalled include Aspen and Crib N Changer Combo, Gabrielle, Camille, Providence and Shenandoah. Only the brand name 'Simplicity' can be seen on the label on the headboard. This recall involves models using a different style of hardware than the ones recalled in September 2007.
If you have a recalled crib, you are advised to stop using it immediately and find a safe, alternative sleeping place for your child. You should return the crib to the place of purchase for a refund or store credit. Here you will find contact information for retailers who sold the cribs.
Since the original warning, the CPSC has become aware that some of the bassinets in question include the Graco logo and a Winnie the Pooh motif. Consumers are urged to check their models to be sure they are not included in the list of recalled Simplicity bassinets.
Although SFCA Inc., the company which purchased all of Simplicity, Inc.'s assets at public auction in April, 2008, refuses to officially recall them, many retailers have voluntarily removed the bassinets from their shelves. Those retailers are providing refunds or store credits to customers who return their bassinet to the store where purchased. A list of those retailers can be found here.
You know that old nighttime saying, "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite"? Well it turns out bedbugs aren't an imaginary creature designed to keep kids from wandering out of their beds at night.
Bedbugs are tiny, real insects that suck blood from people in their beds as they sleep. Our sister blog That's Fit just shared the educational-yet-horrifying information that some colleges are suffering from bedbug infestations. You know, because between the booze, boys, and bills, college parents didn't have ENOUGH to worry about.
If your college student suspects they have bedbugs as roomies, here are the steps to take:
Pretend you don't know about the problem and transfer to a different university (Just kidding, although that would probably be my first response.)
Reduce clutter to eliminate hiding places for the bugs.
Thoroughly clean house using a high-powered vacuum cleaner and a stiff brush to remove bugs from cracks in the floor.
Dismantle beds to find hiding places.
Wash the bedding. Seal up mattresses and box springs by taping any holes or other places where bugs could exit. Wrap the mattresses and box springs in heavy plastic covers and seal them. Dumping mattresses on the street could result in making the problem worse by spreading it to others.
To keep bugs from traveling from the floor to the bed and anyone attempting to sleep, set the bed frame legs in containers of mineral oil and do not let the blankets touch the floor.
Caulk and seal all holes and cracks around pipes, electrical outlets, and around baseboards and cove moldings.
If you are a tenant, work with your landlord to solve the problem. If you are a homeowner, you might consider calling a licensed pest control operator.
There are a number of products and kits you can purchase to treat the problem. Some involve chemical pesticides, others depend upon organic means of control, such as insecticidal dusts that tear away the bug's protective coating, causing it to die. These products can be found on the internet.
If you suspect you have had a bedbug encounter during a trip out of the country, it's possible you have transported the little fellows or their eggs in your luggage. Leaving your luggage in a closed car for several hours in a hot summer sun should kill them. Meanwhile, it's a good idea to have clothing professionally laundered in a commercial bug-killing solution immediately upon your return, preferably before you bring the clothing home. Inspect, vacuum, and scrub your empty suitcase with a stiff brush to remove any eggs.
Of course the easiest way to deal with bedbugs is to not get them in the first place. That's why the best idea is to keep your kids little and at home with you. When someone figures out how to do, this please let me know ASAP.
This product recall is a little different than others in that it isn't actually a product recall. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible "close-sleeper/bedside sleeper" bassinets do not meet the safety standards regarding spacing of the metal bars and pose an entrapment and strangulation hazard to infants. The products would be recalled, but SFCA Inc., the company which purchased all of Simplicity, Inc.'s assets at public auction in April, 2008, refuses to recall them. SFCA claims they are not responsible for products previously manufactured by Simplicity.
Clearly somebody needs to be responsible for the products because according to the CPSC, two infants have already strangled to death between the bassinet's metal bars - a 5-month old girl earlier this month and a 4-month-old girl in September of 2007. Since SFCA won't recall them, the CPSC is issuing a warning and urging all consumers to share this warning with day care centers, consignment stores, family and friends to ensure no more children are injured or killed sleeping in this bassinet.
The Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible bassinets have metal bars spaced farther apart than the 2 3/8 inches maximum allowed by federal crib safety standards. The metal bars are covered by an adjustable fabric flap which is attached by Velcro. The fabric is folded down when the bassinet is converted into a bed-side co-sleeping position. If the Velcro is not properly re-secured when the flap is adjusted, an infant can slip through the opening and become entrapped in the metal bars and suffocate. This warning does not cover bassinets produced in recent months that have fabric permanently attached over the lower bar.
Our friends over at MomLogic have broached a subject that many of us will soon be dealing with: getting the kids off the summer schedule and back on the school schedule. I don't know about you, but we have gotten so far off schedule this summer that I can't even remember what a schedule is.
But the thing I love most about summer - after the swimming and sunning - is the sleeping late. And if I want to do it, the kid's gotta do it, too. So we tend to stay up later during the summer months and getting back into the swing of things in the fall is a challenge. But with a little forethought and planning, it shouldn't be too painful.
As with just about everything else in life, talking things out can help ease a transition. Explain to your child that in order to be healthy and ready to learn, a good night's sleep is necessary. And if you have to get up earlier, then you have to go to bed earlier, too. This transition takes a little time, so don't wait until the night before the first day of school to implement the change. A week or so of 'early to bed, early to rise' before the big day should help things go smoother.
For some of us, it is still light out when it is bedtime. This is when blackout shades or curtains are worth every penny you pay for them. But don't leave them closed. After your child has fallen asleep, sneak back in and open them up. When the sun comes up, the light should help rouse them.
Once you've got everyone back on track, try not to slip off schedule on the weekends. This just makes Monday morning even harder for everyone. Lastly - and this is the hardest part for me - try getting yourself to bed earlier, too. Cranky parents make for cranky kids and nobody wants to start the day off that way.
As I sit here, my head pounding, my nose stuffed up, my throat dry and sore, my legs aching and a cough that's keeping everyone awake at night, I think fondly of the days when I was single and without kids and never, ever got sick. Tales of Koalas and Rhinos and Giraffes are not the only things my Jared and Sara are bringing home from zoo camp -- and it's only going to get worse when they're back in school.
There are, however, things you -- and your little ones -- can do to limit your exposure. First off, wash your hands. More importantly, teach your kids to wash their hands. Having them recite the alphabet or sing a song while they wash can help make sure they do it long enough. They also need to wash often -- before they eat, when they get to school, after touching just about anything. The more they wash, the fewer germs they bring home, share with siblings, or put in their mouths.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced yet another crib recall. This time, about 500 Baby Appleseed Davenport Cribs are being recalled because they fail to meet federal safety standards for cribs. These cribs have a two-mattress support system and the secondary one, used for the lowest position, doesn't meet the full 26 inch minimum height requirement in its lowest position. This could allow a child to crawl over the railing and fall out of the crib.
These were made in Vietnam for by Baby Appleseed and sold at specialty juvenile product stores nationwide from December 2006 through September 2007 for between $600 and $800 each.
The recalled cribs are the Davenport models that begin with model numbers 273 and have manufacture dates on or before August 2007. You can find the manufacture date printed on a label on the right side of the lower inner panel of the crib. Newer Davenport cribs with model numbers beginning with 244 and having just one mattress support are not included in the recall.
If you have one of these cribs, you should stop using it in the third lowest position, which uses the wooden mattress support. If you are currently using the crib with the metal mattress support in the top or middle positions, you can continue to do so while awaiting a repair kit. Repair Kits will be available from the firm in mid-August 2008.
To receive your repair kit, contact Baby Appleseed by calling (877) 348-2199 anytime or by visiting their Web site.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 1,300 Mother Hubbard's Cupboard cribs. The cribs fail to meet federal safety standards in that the distance between the mattress support bracket in the lowest position and the top of the side rail in the highest position is less than the required 26 inches. This poses a fall hazard to children.
The recall involves wooden full-sized cribs in the following models: Enchantment (model #210), Hush A Bye (model #215), Once Upon A Time (model #320) and Rock A Bye (model #1900-359). Only cribs with date codes from 0306 through 0308 are included in this recall. You can find the words "Mother Hubbard's Cupboards", the model number and date code printed on a label on the bottom inside of the right side of the crib.
The cribs were sold at juvenile product stores from March 2006 through March 2008 between $500 and $650 each. More pictures of the recalled cribs can be found here.
If you have one of these cribs, you should stop using it immediately and contact Mother Hubbard's Cupboards to receive instructions on how to reinstall the support brackets and eliminate the hazard. You can reach them by calling (888) 661-8201 between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET Friday and Saturday, or by visiting their Web site.
After a bedtime routine of bath, brushing teeth, and book reading, my daughters still often resist settling in under getting under the covers and settling in for the night. So we started a new routine where, once they are tucked in and quiet, we turn off all the lights and I read them a few pages from a chapter book (with my booklight). Not only does this give them incentive to get settled into bed, I figure, they're imaginations get a workout as they try to picture the story in their heads. Last week, my three-year-old pulled out Stuart Little. I wasn't sure if they were ready for it yet, but they seem mesmerized by the story so far, and it's so much fun to sink back into an old children's classic.
Stuart Little has delighted children for decades, but did you know that the book got off to a rocky start? The New Yorker has an excellent piece about the relationship between E.B. White, his wife Katherine, and book reviewer Anne Carroll Moore. Moore is credited with creating the idea of a children's library and story time, and became a powerful influence in children's literature. Though she pushed White for years to finish his book, once the manuscript was finished she fought its publication. Saying "I was never so disappointed in a book in my life," and that it had been written by "a sick mind," she refused to order it for the New York Public Library, and therefore influences libraries across the nation as well.
It's a story that's nearly as interesting as the book itself. Parents with an interest in children's literature, classics, or even the history of the New York City Library will find this piece of the past engrossing.
Pacifiers are both a godsend and a major pain in the you-know-what. They magically soothe babies and put them to sleep, but when it comes time for a toddler to say goodbye to their beloved "nukie," it's torture for everyone.
You know that old nighttime saying, "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite"? Well it turns out bedbugs aren't an imaginary creature designed to keep kids from wandering out of their beds at night.
This product recall is a little different than others in that it isn't actually a product recall. According to the 
Our friends over at MomLogic have broached a subject that many of us will soon be dealing with: getting the kids off the summer schedule and 
As I sit here, my head pounding, my nose stuffed up, my throat dry and sore, my legs aching and a cough that's keeping everyone awake at night, I think fondly of the days when I was single and without kids and never, ever got sick. Tales of Koalas and Rhinos and Giraffes are not the only things my Jared and Sara are bringing home from zoo camp -- and it's only going to get worse when they're back in school.
After a bedtime routine of bath, brushing teeth, and book reading, my daughters still often resist settling in under getting under the covers and settling in for the night. So we started a new routine where, once they are tucked in and quiet, we turn off all the lights and I read them a few pages from a chapter book (with my booklight). Not only does this give them incentive to get settled into bed, I figure, they're imaginations get a workout as they try to picture the story in their heads. Last week, my three-year-old pulled out Stuart Little. I wasn't sure if they were ready for it yet, but they seem mesmerized by the story so far, and it's so much fun to sink back into an old children's classic. 
