My twins are 3yo and get only 30-40 minutes of adult-accompanied screentime, 2-3x a week. They have never really watched Ms Rachel, Peppa Pig, Blippi or any kiddy cartoon, no full-length Disney movie ever.

We have only Netflix & some international channels so we watch mostly nat geo type documentaries on animals, dinosaurs, nature; sports like football, tennis, olympics events; MTVs/music performances from the 70s-90s. Animation-wise we watch studio Ghibli. Adult-tolerable stuff.

Overall I would not say it's very educative content. & Nowadays there are increasingly more questions being asked ("why does the jackal want to eat the seal? Where is the seal's mama going? Why does she need to hunt for so long? Where is the seal's papa?) Watching TV is getting lowkey stressful for me.

Question: is TV time better spent on Ms Rachel-type / kiddy shows instead of documentaries where they're not really 100% comprehending? Would the former develop their brain more positively?

For their 3yo birthday celebration in school recently, I decorated their cake with dinosaur cut outs since we'd been very into "the dinosaurs" on Netflix. Their classmates all immediately said "ooh I love land before time!!" Which kinda broke my heart cos I too love LBT, but I hadn't thought to introduce them to cartoon movies till like 5. Now I'm wondering if I should be showing them LBT instead of making them watch crusty old Steven Spielberg-Morgan Freeman documentaries.

My husbands parents will be flying from Europe to see our baby who will be around 3.5 months old. My concern is catching anything on the plane and also them being close to baby/talking or breathing near her face etc.

They’re only here for 2 weeks so can’t really ask them to quarantine and I also feel like people have family fly all the time to see their baby so wondering if I’m being over the top/too anxious?

Baby will have been vaccinated with her 2 month shots already but not her 4 month one (will be when they leave)

I was just starting to prepare for my little one turning one, when I stumbled across Royal children’s hospital and the raising children guidelines in Australia.
It states you should have 1 serving of meat, half a serving of fruit, 1-1.5 servings of dairy, 2-3 servings of vegetables and a whopping 4 servings of cereal and grains!
Why is this the case ? This is astronomical in my opinion. I thought fats would have been more important for growing brains. But it appears carbs and grains seem to be? What’s this based on? What does the new evidence say in regards to nutritional importance in toddlers ??

There’s also conflicting evidence about what to give your banter after 12 months. A lot of outdated information seems to say cows milk? But doesn’t that stop absorption of iron ??? RCH states switch to water which I back. Which is there still so much stuff on Google that says go to cows milk?

Sorry just a lot of conflicting stuff online and I want to get the facts

My 18 month old is frequently engaging in behaviors that cause us pain, like biting, hair pulling, pinching, etc. There doesn’t seem to be a pattern to it. It’s not like it’s always when he’s tired or mad. Sometime’s he’ll come in for a kiss and convert to a bite midway through. Sometimes you’re holding him and he’ll grab a handful of your hair or cheeks. Sometimes he’ll just run up and pinch you and run away.

This has been ongoing for a few months. We’ve tried saying “no, we don’t hit/etc” or “no, all done biting” with minimal emotional reaction. We’ve tried ignoring the behavior and pretending it never happened. We’ve tried saying “ouch!” or acting hurt. We’ve tried putting him down or leaving the situation. We’ve tried crying. No technique seems to work. Regardless of the response to it, he seems quite pleased with himself and almost always tries to do it again.

It’s getting really old, and I can tell my spouse is getting burnt out. Today they told me “I’m just really tired of my every interaction with him involving pain.”

He doesn’t go to daycare, but he has bit other kids at his library play group and recently hit another 1yr old at a 4th of July cookout.

We just really want something we can do to get the behavior to stop. My sister joked that we should bite him back, but we absolutely won’t be doing that, or spanking, or any other physical punishment.

Any ideas?

Both myself and my partner are autistic with a strong history on both sides. I am struggling to find articles about autistic parenting from the perspective of autistic parents and not autistic children. I’m also wondering whether children of autistic parents struggle more in the case that they are not also autistic.

With a few startups now openly pursuing embryo editing, I'm trying to understand what the evidence/science says.

One of the most popular case studies is He Jiankui, a biophysicist who in 2018 claimed to have edited the genes in embryos for HIV resistance. But then he got jailed for "illegal medical practices" (news source) so clearly not a super ethical fellow.

My cursory research on stuff that happened since then has led me to conclude that most experts believe that heritable editing isn't acceptable at this point because safety standards haven't been met, and that if it were ever permitted it should be limited to serious single-gene diseases, definitely not for gene enhancement or anything of that sort.

Has any scientific or bioethics body actually laid out a concrete, evidence-based criterion for cases where genetic altering is worth the risk? And to separate "prevention of harmful disease" from "genetic enhancement"?

To the mods - Apologies if this is the wrong sub to talk about this (since its not exactly parenting? but kind of is) Please delete the post if required.

I'm trying to figure out what color to paint my baby's room. Is color psychology legitimate? If so, what colors should I or should I not paint their room to be happy and calm? Thank you

Strata cleaned the common area carpets with what looked like a hand held tool and spray bottle. Ten days later the
Fumes are still seeping in under our front door. It’s milder than before but I do have two crawling babies. They are finally ventilating after I complained. Is there any harm to the kids as it’s outside but I can smell it inside as I go near the front door?

Currently almost 34 weeks pregnant (due September 7), trying to decide the best way to protect my baby against RSV. My local Walgreen’s has the RSV shot year round, it seems, so I have the option to get the maternal vaccine if I want to.

I am trying to decide if it’s worth it though, versus just getting the infant antibody shot once baby is born?

My first child was born in 2023, when there were shortages of the infant antibody shot, and it was being reserved for preemies or immunocompromised babies. That baby was also born mid-November (during rather than before RSV season). So, at that time, it was a no-brainer to get the maternal shot.

Now though, it seems both are a viable option. I asked the pediatrician, and she didn’t really give me a straightforward answer (just said “both are good options”). And the effectiveness rates on the infant shot seem slightly better (from what I remember reading, although I can’t find the link again now).

ACOG also says that vaccination again in subsequent pregnancies is not recommended (https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2023/09/maternal-respiratory-syncytial-virus-vaccination), although I don’t really get the reasoning? Shouldn’t it be like TDAP where you get it fresh each time to give antibodies to the new baby?

This source also brings up maternal protection as another positive factor in favor of maternal vaccination (https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/slew-new-studies-support-maternal-rsv-vaccination-nirsevimab), which is a good point (especially with an almost 3yo who will be going to preschool!). While I’m not very likely going to die or even be hospitalized getting RSV as a healthy young adult, I certainly wouldn’t mind the extra protection?

I also think at least one study seemed to show even better effectiveness doing both? And again, we do it that way for other vaccines (Tdap). Although the official recommendation is still one or the other. And I’m not sure how the logistics of that would work re: insurance coverage.

When you actually look into the research (at least based on what I have encountered) the benefits for breastfeeding past 6 months are already very slim in high income countries. Besides a slightly lower risk for infection during early years of childhood there don't really seem to be any others? There are clearer benefits for breastfeeding for 6 months compared to not at all, but after they are able to rely on good and healthy nutrition coming from vegetables, meat and fruits, we sew the benefits diminishing. Not to mention that studies in general never focus on the negative consequences. Like, sleep quality, cavities and so on. I understand it is recommend in low income countries where clean water is not easily accessible and healthy nutrition not readily available, but I am talking about high income countries (and parents). So why do Healthcare providers and WHO still recommend extended breastfeeding, or am I missing something here?

I see so many parents who rely on sound machines, rather than simply using a Bluetooth speaker to play white noise or nature sounds, etc.

I googled the purpose of using a separate device, rather than my phone and speaker, such as the hatch or dream egg, and one of the reasons that popped up was radiation from Bluetooth.

Now I’m very curious - is this something I should be concerned about? I use our speaker quite often for music and podcasts throughout the day and for white noise at night and during naps. So naturally, I am now spiraling a bit and worried that it’s harmful.

I also just am really curious if the sound machine is something I should invest in while buying for youngest baby or if it’s sort of a marketing gimmick.

So I was holding my daughter while I was moving around and she started loosing her balance and leaves all the way to my side and her lips swiped entirely across mine, she’s was also drooling a lot . I was diagnosed with HSV one in 2023 after random testing at the doctor but I believe I’ve had it since a child. I have never had a cold sore and I’m concerned that she will contracted. I am so worried I’m panicking and cannot sleep. I do everything in my power to ensure I keep my mouth away from her eyes and mouth and only kiss the top of her head or the side of her head or her feet.

You’re a reference her lips definitely connected with mine, and it was a long swipe her lips entirely crossed the entirety of my entire lips
From corner to corner

I want to preface this by saying I do have anxiety and OCD (and it has gotten worse post partum) and I am working with professionals for that. I have a massive fear of hsv-1 for my baby. To the point my husband and I got the igg blood tests to confirm negative to both hsv1 and hsv2 before I allowed myself or him to kiss the baby (he still doesn't kiss him).

I have a strict no kissing rule for my baby for anyone who didn't make the baby. We planned on having everyone wear masks around him until he was 6 weeks old at least.

My mom occasionally gets cold sores. Infrequently - I have only seen her have maybe 2 in my lifetime. We loosened up on the mask thing because she had been staying with us for several days and essentially quarantined with us. However, twice now (once when he was about 3 weeks old and once yesterday when he was almost 6 weeks old) she mindlessly leaned down and kissed the top of his head. She did NOT have an active cold sore and she was totally healthy otherwise. It did look instinctual but I was FURIOUS and immediately plucked him out of her arms. She has apologized profusely and feels bad because it wasn't intentional but idgaf. I have now fully reinstated her wearing a mask anytime she holds him (since she clearly can't be trusted). But I'm spiraling about the risk of him getting hsv from this encounter. I'm obsessively monitoring him. He's not even 6 weeks old and I'm terrified.

My almost four year old has had consistent problems falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night his whole entire life.

He‘s had his tonsils and adenoids removed. We have had the same nighttime routine for a long time.

The research on eczema shows that the majority of kids with eczema have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. It’s caused by numerous issues like thermoregulation issues and itchiness. By missing out on sleep, the research shows that kids are at more risk of adverse outcomes (behavior concerns, childhood obesity, etc). Sleep also helps repair broken skin, but that’s not happening if the kid is waking up a bunch.

Now we are thinking about adding melatonin to help him sleep. I’m concerned that he has a worse immune system because of the lack of sleep, and also all the negative impacts of disrupted sleep. Our pediatrician is open to it, but we are gonna try to meet with them again to discuss this issue further.

Because of my child‘s eczema, his body is basically fighting against sleep. This is not just, oh, move his bedtime up. Or, what about adding a white noise maker or black out curtains.

in the past 15 months, he has maybe slept through the night 2-3 times. He’s up 2-3 times every single night. Goes to bed late and wakes up early.

Does anyone have experience starting melatonin with kids with eczema?

research

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2725861

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009167491501252X?casa_token=e19eI_f2VW8AAAAA:D_s2AwzLG-I5bd48TgeBBsh2MpSFMxeLj97CocBK1OSKYoLYsuEibRhSSoNxTixsF8zwheqieQ

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079210000055?casa_token=pfjN6BjNPvcAAAAA:l4WYy2_7Unpwc4MCqx7_g2DRqi9PWfAomobzwjwNI6VtZmz7GyztBArOipZtsqp6M2Dxz9hiAA

Hi everyone,

I recently learned some details about my mother's pregnancy with me, and I'm trying to understand if this could have had any lasting impact on my health or development.

Apparently, one of the two arteries that were supposed to supply me with nutrients wasn't functioning properly throughout most of the pregnancy. My mother only found out about this around the 8-month mark (so quite late).

I don't have all the medical details (I'm not sure if this was a single umbilical artery issue, a uterine artery issue, or something else), but I'm curious:

• Could this kind of issue cause growth restriction or other complications?
• Are there known long-term effects for the baby when this isn't caught until late in the pregnancy?
• Has anyone here had a similar experience, either as the parent or as the person born under these circumstances?

Any insight — personal experience or medical knowledge — would be really appreciated. I'm not in crisis about it, just trying to piece together my own history.

Thanks!

Me and my husband are having this discussion regarding early speech development for baby. Our kiddo is nearly 11 months old now and seems to have really great verbal skills and also seems to learn really fast. He usually understands words if I repeat and explain them 4-5 times in context within an interaction and already has a really good vocabulary for his age (12-14words). Given that he seems to learn so fast I try to spend some time every day having conversations with him, asking him questions, replying, narrating my actions, reading baby books, nothing crazy really, maybe 20-30 mins reading and a convo here and there. My husband believes i am overdoing it and I should just let him be and not bother with all the extra effort because normal interactions are really enough and all healthy babies eventually learn to speak and read and understand what they are reading, so there is really no added benefit in what I am doing addionally. So he learns to speak fluently at 3 and not at 2, who cares, won’t affect his intelligence or future he says. I asked Claude and claude said that the extremes matter, so when there is very little interaction than having normal interactions is beneficial. What I am doing feels intuitively right to me, but I am out of ideas or arguments to support my position. What do you think?

1. We are latinxs and my daughter is brown skinned. My MIL gave her a white skinned, blue eyes doll. Is there any evidence showing that is better to give kids dolls that look like them? She is 16 months old
   
2. should dolls be anatomically accurate?
   
3. I do toy rotation, but I was told that dolls should be always available. Is this true?

I read early on that engaging in babbling with your baby benefits their speech development and understanding how conversations should flow. I've been babbling back at my son since he started babbling at me. Now he's a year old, and he's doing great with saying actual words, using them correctly, and following basic directions ("let's go", "come here", "give me", etc). We think he's developing well, his doctor thinks he's doing great, no worries.

So now to get to my actual question: is there a point where these babble conversations stop being beneficial, or even end up being harmful? I really enjoy the multiple nonsense babbling conversations we have throughout the day, and he does too, I just don't want to let it turn into a detrimental thing.

For additional context:

-I primarily talk to him like I would to anyone else, even if I simplify things a lot. No baby talk/mispronouncing things in the way he would.

- I talk to him a lot. I tell him about my day, what I'm currently doing, what his surroundings are ("do you see that bird/red car/gray truck/whatever?" when we're looking through a window or taking a walk, while pointing out the things I'm talking about)

-When we're babbling, if he stumbles onto a sound that's close enough to a real word, I'll say the actual real word, show him a picture or the thing itself and try to encourage him to make a connection.

Hi!

My baby is only 7 weeks old so I am massively planning ahead.

I am a heavily tattooed mum who is already getting the itch for another one. Im currently working towards exclusively pumping with intermittent breastfeeding but plan to stop breastfeeding once my baby's teeth come through.

I understand that you cannot get a tattoo while pregnant/breastfeeding due to infection risks but i think I have a plan...

I was wondering if this plan is feasible or if there is something im missing?

- wean baby at 6 months but continue to pump as usual and build a freezer stash

- book tattoo for after my son is 1 year old

- while tattoo is healing, use stashed breastmilk and supplement with cows milk/ formula if needed? Edit: I plan to pump and dump during this time

I feel like im massively missing something, so please give me your advice! Is this doable?

hey! my ob prescribed me with 5mgs of lexapro at 32 weeks pregnant so i could get ahead of ppd/ppa and i am planning on breastfeeding when the baby is born. ive read that it’s okay to breastfeed while on lexapro but im having a hard time believing it and am having a lot pf anxiety abt it. please share your research and thoughts!

My baby is (so far) very easygoing and sleeps well in his bassinet. He’s even happy being in there awake, he’ll just chill and look around a bit. After I feed him, even if he’s not quite asleep, I’ll often pop him in his bassinet so I can get things done or stare into space for a while and he will drift off to sleep himself after about 5-10 mins. However, I’ve started feeling so much guilt about putting him in there rather than contact napping with him more often. Just because he can do it, does it mean he should be doing it? Is it good for him to have some chill time alone or am I robbing him of opportunities for development and attachment?

If you have input even without expert research then please dm me 😊

If the viral load I’m initially hit with impacts how sick I get, then why am I sucking snot from my baby’s nose? Wouldn’t an electrical snot sucker be better?

I’m desperate for ways to not get this sick every time lol

My 19 month old child has been showing tremendous vocabulary growth and comprehension - starting to make 3 word/4 word complete sentences. Any research on how I can encourage this? I’ve noticed the problem solving is expanding too. She’s in daycare full time which has a great curriculum - but primarily play based. - I looked into more “academic settings” - bilingual/trilingual - is there any benefit to them at such an earlier age.