A soother, despite the role of calming a child and aiding sleep, plays an important role in proper oral development. It is therefore vital that it’s designed to fit perfectly inside the baby’s mouth, ensuring correct, uniformly distributed pressure of the tongue on the palate.
Starting solid foods is an exciting time for you and your baby. Research shows that it is most beneficial to introduce solid foods around 6 months of age (but never before 4 months!).
Fiber helps keep your tot’s digestion regular. Protein is a key building block of little growing bodies and is essential for muscle development.
Finding Natural and Organic snacks for our precious toddlers can be a hard task. With so many options available for us, we never know which one to purchase. The Happy Family Organics Team sent through a few samples to try and boy did they go down well with our taste testing team. The Happy Tot Fibre & protein bar is delicious. Not only is it gluten free but if you read their article on the importance of Fibre in your child’s diet, you would certainly be throwing a few into your trolley!The bar itself contains not only whole grains but the sweet delicious taste of apples really makes this an easy purchase. The bars themselves are light, soft so you know that your tot will be ok with it. It is also a great way to introduce a new texture to their feeding regiment. Then we have the Happy Baby Organic Yogis. These gluten free yoghurt fruit drops would be the best way to describe them. They are delicious. I was pleasantly surprised that although they were small, that they melted quickly in your mouth thus making it safe for your tot.Best of all there is no gelatine or artificial flavours. Your child also learns how to pick smaller items up in a safe way thus working on their fine motor skills. I certainly love the packaging. I have sat a few times at a store and wondered if my baby’s were ready to try a particular product. On their packaging they give a clear indication that your child may be ready for Organic Yogis when he or she can: Pull self up to stand with support Crawl without tummy touching the ground Use jaws to mash food between gums Pick up food to eat with thumb and forefinger This small amount of information can really be reassuring to any parent making a purchase! Happy Family Organics extensive range of products is available at all Baby City stores, Babies R Us, Dis-Chem, Wellness Warehouse, Selected Clicks, Selected Spars, Selected Pick N Pay stores, Selected Baby Boom stores and online from Takealot.com, Babiesafrica.com and Faithful to NaturePlease do remember that at all times your tot should be supervised during feeding and snack times.
Munchkin, the award-winning global baby lifestyle company expands its commitment to animal conservation organisations through a new line of its #1 selling Miracle® 360° cup, called “Wild Love,” designed to feature at-risk animals. The cups, now available at Baby City, help families teach children empathy and respect for animals at a time when more than one million species are threatened with extinction. Inspired by the important work these organizations are doing, Munchkin is making a substantial donation to both the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and The Whale Sanctuary Project.
Parents have an inherent right and duty to form part of their child’s lives. However, it often happens that parents of a child cannot see eye to eye as to what is in their child’s best interest. More often than not, when parents are divorced, separated or not living together, issues arise regarding the children they share. And then there is the case where parents want full custody over their children. These issues may range from the amount of contact the other parent has, the school the child may attend, or what extra-mural activities the child should pursue.
Much like the rest of the world, the typical South African family structure has changed over the years. The prevalence of single parent families is on the rise and increasingly, women head more households. The combined effect of these two structural shifts has seen a growing number of single working mothers in the South African workforce.
Chicco, leaders in baby products for over 62 years, originally started out as a medical company, with emphasis on providing the best products in the medical world for babies. They have maintained a strict quality control throughout the years and continue to provide parents with products that are quality tested, functional and convenient.
Dietary fiber comes from plants: think fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, beans, nuts and seeds. Diets higher in fiber can help lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, maintain bowel health, manage constipation and help promote a healthy weight. In fact, in epidemiological studies, populations with higher dietary fiber intakes tend to have lower chronic disease rates overall. A higher fiber intake provided by foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole- and high-fiber grain products is likely to be lower in calories, fat and added sugar.
We hear this term so often that is has the danger of becoming meaningless, when in fact it is a critical part of building a trusting and loving relationship between you and your baby. Bonding is the development of an emotional attachment and unconditional love between a parent and baby. It promotes a sense of security and wellbeing, and helps to build confidence, self esteem and trust. Young babies need to feel safe and protected, and you can help with this by cuddling your baby, gazing lovingly at him, and responding to his needs. All of this is what bonding is about.
Every expectant mom wants the very best for her baby. Chicco, leaders in baby products for 62 years, know the importance of ensuring parents only top quality products, whilst making their lives as easy as possible.
According to the CDC [1], every year about 3,500 babies die from sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUIDs). While we still don’t know that much about it, it has been shows that practicing safe sleeping habits can reduce the risk greatly.
Sleep is a very complicated part of early parenting, which is part of the reason that it presents such a challenge. There are simply so many variables, from nutrition and health to anxiety and sensory needs. One variable that simply cannot be overlooked is self-soothing. In order to sleep through the night independently, a baby needs to learn to self-sooth.
Once your baby can sit up and bring their hands to their mouth you can start with the Boon Pulp. Munching and crunching, all require lots of practice for babies who are just learning to self-feed, and the results can be messy. The Boon Pulp Silicone Feeder is a tidy solution: it works like a mesh feeder, but it’s sturdier and keeps the mess more contained, so your child can use her brand-new teeth to gnaw away at healthy snacks without requiring an entire roll of paper towels for clean up afterwards. Self-feeding offers a great way to teach babies dexterity and hand-eye co-ordination.
When it comes to children, strong commitment and love are not negotiable. Unfortunately, not all parents honour this duty, specifically their legal duty to maintain the well-being of their children. Considering this, the child maintenance system ensures that all parents honour their duty to maintain/support their children.
The Chicco Natural Feeling Newborn Starter Set is a wonderful introduction package of Natural Feeling nursing products. Natural Feeling as a bottle range has been one of the most widely accepted ranges by babies on a global scale, with a 96% latch rate on teats and excellent anti-colic functionality.
The South African Breastmilk Reserve (SABR) has issued an urgent call for breastmilk donations as reserves run critically low.
The First Dreams range features pastel pink and blue variants of a series of toys that are all fundamentally multi-tech driven, with gorgeous aesthetic and cleverly thought-out practicality.
When co-holders experience difficulties in exercising their responsibilities and rights, they must agree on a parenting plan to regulate the exercise of their rights and responsibilities as a prerequisite before approaching the court. They must first seek the assistance of the family advocate, social worker or psychologist; alternatively, they must go for a mediation facilitated by a social worker or other suitably qualified person.
Starting solids can be an exciting time. I remember when we started our son on solids. We had my brother and the grandparents over. He was propped up in a chair and we all watched as my husband and I fed him some mashed butternut from a spoon. The video is so cute, the words of praise about how clever he was is quite impressive, and his outfit was cuter than cute. However, now when I watch the video, I shudder. I shudder because I can now see all the non-verbal signals that he was sending, saying he was not ready. We could have waited a week longer, just to give him time. If I had known better, I would have done better.
The First Dreams range features pastel pink and blue variants of a series of toys that are all fundamentally multi-tech driven, with gorgeous aesthetic and cleverly thought-out practicality.
It’s Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week and I have decided to talk a little about the car seat harness. The car seat harness holds a child down in the car seat so they cannot slide up, forward and out the car seat in the event of a crash.
The First Dreams range features pastel pink and blue variants of a series of toys that are all fundamentally multi-tech driven, with gorgeous aesthetic and cleverly thought-out practicality.
Sleep is one of the most essential aspects of a baby’s development. It helps their bodies and minds develop, and the truth is that music can play a major role in both the development of your baby, as well as helping them achieve a more restful sleep. Even though your baby’s brain is not yet fully developed, the reality is that they are actually not much different from adults when it comes to the basic structure and functionality of their brains. This also applies to the auditory cortex portion of their brain. The auditory cortex forms part of the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex. This is one of the first parts of the brain to develop, meaning that playing music to your unborn baby can already have benefits. In fact, some studies have shown that playing music for your baby in utero (while still in the womb) can help create a better foundation for their reaction and appreciation for music once they are born. In other words, playing music for your unborn baby can make it easier to eventually use music as a means of helping your child fall asleep. Heartbeat is the ideal music stimulation for in-utero and newborn babies. Within the womb, from as early as six months, the unborn child experiences many sounds, including the ever-present heartbeat. It is important to note that not all music is suitable for helping your baby fall asleep. Music with high pitches or deep bass should be avoided. These types of sounds act more as a stimulant than a relaxant. This is why lullabies are a popular and good choice by most parents, as most of these are designed to instil a sense of comfort. Another popular choice is classical music. As these contain no lyrics, it can be much less distracting. It also contains more soothing and gentle instrumental sounds, rather than heavy percussion as is found in other genres of music. All our albums are suitable for helping your baby fall asleep. On top of helping your baby fall asleep, playing music during playtime and bedtime routines, as well as during sleep, can also help their overall brain development. Studies have shown that the correct music introduces your baby to emotional stimuli which will help to increase their emotional intelligence. As your child gets older and starts to interact and understand a more complex world, this gentle emotional stimulus will help your child to better understand herself, as well as recognise patterns. Pattern recognition is one of the fundamentals of child development, and a cornerstone of both critical thinking and problem solving. There are a few important things to take note of when playing music for your baby to help them fall asleep. The first of these is volume. It is very important to not play the music too loud. Even if you have the correct music, turning up the volume on any kind of music will stimulate your baby and cause her brain to enter an active phase. Secondly, placement of the music source. The further away the music is, one instinctively tend to make the music louder. Rather try placing the source closer to the crib (or right next to it), and turn the volume down. Lastly, how long should you play the music for? Most psychologists and experts will suggest not playing music to your baby throughout the night. This can cause the music to become a crutch for your baby in that they will become dependant on the music to fall asleep. What is suggested is to start playing music a few hours before bedtime, and then switch it off after your baby has fallen asleep (or as they are falling asleep). This is dependant on your baby, as some will never form the attachment while other might. An example routine would be to start with Playtime and Bedtime with Bach a few hours before starting your bedtime routine. Put on some Symphony of Sleep during bath time to help your baby get into a calm state of mind ready for sleep, and then finally Classical Music Lullabies to help them drift off into a restful sleep.
Chicco, leaders in children’s development for the past 62 years, have the perfect toy range for newborns, making your little ones introduction to the world as soft as a mothers cuddle.
Christmas is just around the corner and choosing a toy that will not only entertain, but also help develop young minds has become more important to parents than ever when deciding what to get the little ones.
If you are a parent or are around parents of young children, there is a high chance that you’ve heard about developmental milestones. You may have even read about it in a baby book or an article, heard from your paediatrician or from any other professional specialising in early childhood development. You may have heard parents proudly speak about the fact that their child has skipped certain milestones, such as crawling and has gone straight to walking, and so they’re now “ahead of the pack”. You may have seen the complete opposite, parents in a frenzy because their child is one month behind in some of their milestones. You may have heard others completely disregard milestones all together. So what is the fuss all about? How important are milestones really?
With Christmas being just a few weeks away, choosing a toy that will guarantee smiles could not be easier than with Disney Baby.
If you love all things nature-inspired, summer is the best time to get your kids involved in your downtime activities – from hikes, to cycling trails and running trails. The most important thing is to be organised and prepared, plus have the right gear to make things efficient and easy on the day. Enter Swedish brand, Thule, which creates a range of premium products, so that you and your family can fully immerse yourself in your given outdoor activity… plus a roundup of some of the best hikes, cycling trails and running trails to do with young kids.
With Christmas only a month away, we asked Chicco South Africa to put together a Toy Guide for Christmas. CHICCO FIRST DREAMS LULLABY SHEEP The best cot companion your newborn can ask for. In either pink or blue pastel plush, this multi-tech toy provides soft light from its tummy whilst soothing your baby with 20 minutes of classical music. Also has a voice recording facility for parents to place a message of love inside. Retailers: Baby City, Babies R Us, Hamleys, Takealot, Lilliputs, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 2. CHICCO BABY SENSES VIBRATING MONKEY Suitable from 3 months, this awesome vibrating monkey provides a host of stimuli for your baby. Noises, textures and teething aspects make it the ideal motor skills tool and curiosity stimulator for your little one. Retailers: Selected Spar stores, Babies R Us, Hamleys, Takelot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 3. CHICCO BABY SENSES STROLLER ROPE TOY Keep baby occupied whilst in their stroller with an engaging stroller rope toy fashioned in the shape of a giraffe. Includes fun activities to keep baby discovering new sensations whilst fitting onto all types of stroller bumper bars. Made from plush, the rope toy includes a mirror, soft ring, ball and butterfly that produces sounds. Retailers: Pick n Pay Hypers, selected Spar stores, Babies R Us, Hamleys, Takelot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 4. CHICCO FIRST DREAMS BABY BEAR A gentle cuddly that will keep your child company at night whilst turning the nursery into a magical environment. Soft light projects stars from the belly of the teddy whilst 30 minutes of classical music will soothe the child to sleep. A soft plush toy available in pastel pink or blue, the outer of the bear is also machine washable. Retailers: Baby City, Babies R Us, Hamleys, Takealot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 5. CHICCO BABY SENSES FINGER PUPPET One of the only finger puppets available on the market, the Baby Senses Finger Puppet allows parents to play alongside their child and interact and engage whilst watching their development. Each finger produces a different noise, squeak or rattle. And the small book attached to the palm teaches numbers and animals. A thoroughly fun way to engage with your child. Retailers: Babies R Us, Takelot, Lilliputs, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 6. CHICCO BABY SENSES RAINBOW SPINNER The perfect toy to teach your child cause and effect. Based on the classical mechanical spinner toy, the Rainbow Spinner has a mirror inside that reflects the coloured balls that circulate when the flower on top is pressed. A great engaging toy for young, enquiring minds. Retailers: Selected Spar stores, Babies R Us, Lilliputs, Takelot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 7. CHICCO MOVE & GROW HAPPY HIPPIE WALKER Encourage your child to take their first steps in safety and fun with an engaging walker. With 4 solid wheels providing stability, baby can walk with the colourful, happy walker and enjoy the manual skills and entertainment on the activity bar. Retailers: Babies R Us, Lilliputs, Takealot, Thekidzone Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 8. CHICCO MOVE & GROW TUMMY TIME PILLOW The cushion for fun, safe tummy time play. Designed by Boppy, leaders in birthing pillows, the tummy-time pillow has memory foam and provides your child with a firm, yet soft support as they learn to play on their fronts. The cushion has manual activities to keep baby engaged such as a mirror, a fabric book, and rattle with small balls inside. Retailers: Takealot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 9. CHICCO BABY SENSES FROG RATTLE The perfect first rattle to encourage your baby’s first discoveries of sound and colour. A bright green and pink frog that doubles as a handy teething ring, the Frog Rattle is perfect from 3 months upwards. Small balls inside the toy teach the child about sound and cause and effect. Retailers: Pick n Pay Hypers, selected Spar stores, Hamleys, Babies R Us, Takealot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores. 10. CHICCO BABY SENSES CHRISTOPHER THE EXPLORER A cute character toy in the shape of animated binoculars, Christopher Explorer is battery driven and comes to life when the wheels are turned, shining bright lights and producing sounds. Great for motor skills and curiosity development. Retailers: Selected Spar stores, Babies R Us, Takealot, Thekidzone, Loot and selected Kids Emporium stores.
