3 Common New Parent Questions

(Family Features) Almost every new parent knows the feeling: It’s 2 a.m., you’re bleary-eyed and you want nothing more than everyone to get some sleep. However, you’re up, and so is your new baby.

Though most parents wish their little one could tell them what’s keeping him or her awake, sometimes there’s no clear answer.

To help parents who are looking for answers to the questions that keep them awake, including those regarding poop, sleep and tummy time, the experts at KinderCare, who’ve been caring for new babies for almost 50 years, offer this advice. 

1. Why is my baby’s poop a weird color?
Flash back to before your baby was born: You probably never imagined you’d be searching the internet for answers to questions about poop. Yet here you are, and many new parents know how you feel.

When you have questions about poop, however, you may find there’s an app for that. Many apps also track sleep, feeding, pumping, weight and more, making them useful tools to add to your new-baby starter kit.

If you see a change in your baby’s poop, track it. It might be no big deal, but it’s easier to remember what happened a week or even a day ago when you have all the data right at your fingertips. Also remember, if you see anything out of the ordinary, it’s worth a quick call to your doctor’s on-call nurse hotline to make sure it’s nothing to worry about.

2. What’s the big deal about tummy time?
You’ve probably read how important tummy time is for developing your baby’s muscles to get ready for all of the crawling, rolling, scooting, sitting and walking ahead. While your baby’s back is still the safest place for him or her to sleep, awake and supervised tummy time is important, too.

Tummy time doesn’t have to be long to be effective. Talk to your doctor to see what’s recommended for your baby. Though tummy time can be any time, you might be more successful right after a nap or diaper change when your baby is well-rested and comfortable.

If your baby just won’t take to tummy time, try making it fun with toys and make sure you’re getting down on the floor to play, too!

3. What if my baby just won’t go to sleep?
It’s never easy to hear your baby cry, but Dr. Elizabeth Super, a pediatrician and children’s sleep specialist with the pediatric sleep medicine program at Oregon Health & Science University’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, has some advice for sleep-deprived parents.

According to Super, by around 6 months of age, many babies no longer need a middle-of-the-night feeding and are ready to start learning how to self-soothe. However, about 25 percent of 1-year-olds still have problems waking up in the middle of the night.

“They should be sleeping through the night and can be doing it, but it’s very common that they’re not,” Super said. “Know that lots of kids have sleep issues, and sleep issues will come and go as they grow.”

In other words, if your baby has trouble sleeping, you’re not alone. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and it’s important to choose an approach that fits your family. That might mean adjusting your schedule to accommodate an earlier baby bedtime (Super recommends 7-8 p.m.) or coming up with a simple bedtime routine like taking a bath, brushing teeth, reading a book, and going to bed.

For answers to more questions that can keep new parents awake, visit kindercare.com.

Making the Back-to-School Transition Seamless and Stress-Free

(Family Features) It’s not always easy to make the transition from family road trips, backyard barbecues and longer days to school bus pickups, homeroom assignments and school supply lists.

These tips can help get your busy household organized and make the transition easier to ensure your kids look and feel their best when they head back to the classroom.

Make Shopping for Supplies Fun. Take a special shopping trip with your kids to get all the supplies they need. Be sure to stock up on essentials, but try to make it fun by letting them pick out personalized folders for each of their classes or colorful pens to take notes. A shopping trip is also an opportunity to get your children excited about their classes. Remember to shop early so kids can pick from a variety of options and items will be less likely to be out of stock.

Prepare a Homework Space. Creating a designated space in the house for doing homework can get your kids ready to start schoolwork again. A designated space stocked with necessities like pens, pencils and other supplies can also limit distractions so they can focus on their schoolwork.

Simplify Your Laundry Routine. Between school clothes, sports uniforms, linens and play clothes, laundry can easily pile up. To simplify your laundry routine, try a detergent like all mighty pacs 4-in-1 with Odor Lifter, which provides four aspects of clean by tackling odors, fighting stains, whitening and brightening.

If your children have sensitive skin, consider all free clear mighty pacs, which are tough on stains but still gentle enough for sensitive skin with a hypoallergenic formula that is free of fragrances, dyes and irritating residues. To learn more, visit all-laundry.com.

Ease into the Routine. Make the switch to busy school mornings seamless by easing into your morning routine in the weeks leading up to the start of school. Set your alarms, go through morning rituals and make sure your children are comfortable with how they are getting to school whether they are taking the bus, walking or carpooling with friends. Practicing the routine can make everyone feel confident and prepared when the school bells start ringing.

By implementing these simple tips, you can make the transition both seamless and stress-free, and set your kids up for a successful and fun school year.

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Sweet, Simple After-School Snacking

(Family Features) With school back in full swing, the days will be full, packed with classes, homework and after-school sports, music and other extracurricular activities. To make the most of all these endeavors, it’s important to eat well to sustain the critical energy and focus required throughout the day.

Smart fueling includes keeping nourishing snacks such as heart-healthy grapes on-hand – whether at home, in the car or coming off the field. Fresh California grapes – simple, convenient and nutritious – can make for a delicious snack on their own.

Available in three appealing colors – red, green and black – crisp, juicy grapes can add a tasty touch when hunger calls for an afternoon energy boost. Grapes also pair well with crackers, cheese and nuts for other snack combos.

Yet another way to enjoy fresh grapes is to blend them with other fruits and vegetables to create smoothie bowls, a nutritious option to help ensure that a variety of healthy ingredients are part of a balanced day.

Smoothie bowls work well as a snack or even a quick breakfast, and also provide a way for parents to introduce their kids to new, healthier bites.

This Grape Smoothie Bowl is fresh, flavorful and full of sweet grape taste for a quick fix that can leave bodies fueled and ready to take on the rest of the day.

Find more information and snack ideas at GrapesfromCalifornia.com.

Grape Smoothie Bowl

Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2

• 1/2       avocado
• 2          medium bananas, sliced and frozen
• 1          cup packed baby spinach
• 2          cups green California grapes, divided
• 1          cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1          piece fresh ginger (1-inch length), peeled and sliced (optional)
• pinch of salt
• 1          tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 1/2    tablespoons toasted coconut chips

1. In blender, combine avocado, bananas, spinach, 1 cup grapes, almond milk, ginger and salt; blend until smooth. Pour into two bowls. Halve remaining grapes and place on top of smoothie bowls along with chia seeds and coconut chips.

Nutritional information per serving: 370 calories; 5 g protein; 66 g carbohydrates; 13 g fat (32% calories from fat); 3.5 g saturated fat (9% calories from saturated fat); 200 mg sodium; 10 g fiber.

What Moms Need to Know About Summer Nutrition for Kids

Hit a home run with essential nutrients for active kids

(Family Features) With summer in full force, kids are busy with physical activities and whether it’s little league baseball games, swim team or summer camp, they’re more active than ever. Moms, nutritionists and pediatricians alike know active kids and developing bones and muscles need essential nutrients to grow strong, but The Dietary Guidelines for Americans say most Americans, including children, actually aren’t getting enough fiber, calcium, vitamin D and potassium in their diets.

Moms can keep up by making sure kids fuel their bodies with proper nutrition and stay hydrated at the same time. As a drink kids already love the taste of, milk is a great choice when moms want to serve delicious and natural, high-quality protein for kids before sending them off on summer adventures. Many are also surprised to learn that milk can help hydrate after exercise due to its natural electrolytes and fluids.

Milk plays an important role for kids’ meals and snacks, providing three of the four nutrients most Americans, including kids, aren’t getting enough of (calcium, vitamin D and potassium), and it’s the top food source of these nutrients, to boot.¹ Plus, with 8 grams of protein per every 8-ounce glass, the farm-fresh beverage is a great way to help the whole family kick start the day.

One way to hit a home run for your kids is by stepping up to the breakfast plate with delicious baseball pancakes. Served with an 8-ounce glass of milk, this breakfast is the perfect combo to help kids fuel up with protein in the morning.

Find more nutritious recipes to pair with milk at milklife.com.

Home Run Pancakes

Servings: 4

• 1          cup all-purpose flour
• 1          teaspoon baking powder
• 1          teaspoon sugar
• 1/4       teaspoon salt
• 1          large egg
• 1          cup fat free milk
• 1/4       teaspoon vanilla extract
• nonstick cooking spray
• 8          strips low-sodium turkey bacon (optional)
• 2-3       tablespoons raspberry or strawberry syrup (optional)

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix egg, milk and vanilla separately. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk gently until just combined.
2. Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat and grease lightly with cooking spray.
3. Using 1/3-cup measuring cup for each pancake, pour batter onto pan. Cook until bubbles form and edges start to look dry then flip and cook another 30-45 seconds.
4. Cook bacon on griddle 3-4 minutes on each side, if desired, until desired crispiness is achieved.
5. Place cooked bacon next to pancakes for “baseball bats.” If desired, drizzle syrup onto pancakes to make baseball stitching.
6. Pair each serving with 8-ounce glass of milk.

Nutritional information per serving: 240 calories; 1.5 g fat; 55 mg cholesterol; 15 g protein; 40 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 420 mg sodium; 454 mg calcium (45% of daily value). Nutrition figures based on using fat free milk, and include an 8-ounce glass of milk.

¹Fulgoni VL, Keast DR, Quann EE, Auestad N. Food sources of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and potassium in the U.S. The FASEB Journal. 2010;24:325.1.

5 Tips for Transitioning Back to Work After a Baby

(Family Features) For many moms, heading back to work after maternity leave is something that has always been a part of the plan, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. This leads to concern about not having enough time to bond with baby, stress about pumping at work and maintaining your milk supply.

While you may be worrying about being separated from baby for an extended period and interrupting your carefully crafted breastfeeding schedule, there are ways to help make the transition back to work easier for you and your little one.

Ease Into the New Routine
If possible, schedule your return date for the middle of a week rather than a Monday. Getting thrown into a long work week will not only be exhausting, but emotionally draining as well. By taking only a few days away from baby at the beginning, you can slowly ease back into work and make the return more manageable.

Purchase Pumping Essentials
While pumping at work can be challenging, having the right accessories can make it easier and even extend the time you spend pumping and breastfeeding. Although many moms returning to work stress about finding a private location to pump and the time to do it, a discreet pumping accessory, such as NUK Simply Natural Freemie Collection Cups, allows you to pump hands-free with your shirt on – even in your cubicle. Compatible with leading double electric breast pumps, you can pump on your own terms. The collection cups also help easily transfer milk into storage containers or storage bags to bring home. A supply of absorbent nursing pads is also a handy essential to keep with your breast pump to help you stay dry throughout the day.  

Take Your Lunch Break
While getting back into your work routine may keep you busy, it’s important to still make time for a lunch break. A return to work often means a change in your normal habits with more eating on the go, which can lead to skipped meals or not enough hydration. A quick lunch break helps create time for proper nutrients so you can maintain energy to keep up with the demands of work and parenting.

Maintain the Bond
Feeding is a special time and it can be just as hard on your little one when the schedule changes. One way to help ease the feeding transition is to use products that provide a more natural feeding experience, like NUK Simply Natural Bottles. The bottles are modeled after the shape of breasts, with up to nine nipple holes, and make for a natural transition between breast and bottle. As a result, baby can maintain a close-to-mom feel, even while you are apart. Try introducing more family members or friends to giving baby a bottle about a month before going back to work so you feel confident that the process is going smoothly before your official return date.

Keep the Connection
One of the hardest parts about returning to work is leaving your baby, and that’s expected. Don’t be shy about asking your caregiver to send updates once or twice a day with texts and pictures for peace of mind. One way to help ease the stress of being back at work is to visually see that your baby is doing well with the new routine.

Working mothers have a handful of challenges to face, but planning ahead and following these tips can help ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.