Sightings of Savvy Parent Travelers

Yes, we're back out on the road again. From San Diego, California to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, we're sharing ideas and hearing what others are doing to support babies and their families. Usually, we would post a photo and tell you that we'll be back soon. But this week, I was fortunate to observe some parents that have clearly done their homework when it comes to traveling with their babies and I wanted to share some of their great ideas with you.

1. Tag Team Security
With two kids, a stroller, baggage, and today's security screening requirements, parents typically are struggling and juggling all the way through the TSA line. But this last weekend, I saw two parents of an infant and toddler work through a closely choreographed routine that looked almost effortless, handing off kids, belts, shoes, bags, in perfect step and at just the right time to get everything through security with a minimum of stress. Several fellow passengers stopped to watch the "dance" and once we were through security, I asked them if they had practiced it all at home. "Oh yeah!" said the proud dad, "only about 100 times."

2. Baby Yoga at the Gate
On my second trip of the weekend, I arrived at the gate to find a young couple and a baby close to the windows doing yoga together. While dad stretched out, mom gently moved and stretched the babies arms and legs. She also sang a song and smiled at her alert and happy baby. After a few minutes, dad kept the baby busy while mom went through a few poses. The mom told me that they always stretched during layovers. She said, "Makes sitting in planes and car seats easier when we take these breaks."

3. Toddler Take Off
Even though I couldn't see them, I heard a young mom talking to her older toddler. "What does the plane do?" The baby made a rumbling sound and mom made a rumbling sound. I heard her say again, "What does the plane do?" The toddler laughed while mom said "Zoooooommm!" They repeated this game several times before the plane actually took off and just as the plane lifted into the air, I could hear the baby laughing and making the rumbling sound as loud as he could.

4. Aisle Stroll
One of my flights was nearly 4 hours long, and as soon as the fasten-seat-belt sign went off, I noticed a dad, holding a young baby, pacing back and forth in the aisle. As flight attendants and fellow passengers moved around the cabin, he kept closer to their seats, but he kept walking for about 40 minutes. The baby was alert, relaxed, and looking around as they passed by my seat several times. When someone commented on what a "good baby" he had, the dad said that the walking made a big difference in keeping the baby happy, even if the baby didn't fall asleep. I didn't hear his baby cry at any time during the flight.

Obviously, these parents had a lot of experience traveling with young babies and toddlers. Given the press in the past about parents' struggles with their kids on planes, I really wanted to share some stories of parents who really do it right. So, how about you? What do you do to make air travel with your baby a little easier?

An Unexpected Reaction: Clarifying what we mean by “tummy time”

A few weeks ago, we posted a response to a reader’s question about how to make tummy time easier for her baby. We provided a few suggestions and asked other readers to share things they found useful for making tummy time enjoyable. We got some great tips from readers, like laying baby tummy down on mom’s chest or lap, and holding or wearing baby in a sling. After seeing a few of the comments and emails from our readers, we were a little surprised to see what people think about tummy time. I was curious, so I scrolled through a few popular parenting websites and found that many more parents expressed the same perceptions. Today, we’d like to clear up some misconceptions about what we mean when we refer to “tummy time”

Perception: Tummy time needs to be scheduled into the day. This was probably the most common misconception I saw during my search. Maybe it is because the term “tummy time” implies that it should be done at a certain time of day or for a certain amount of time. Or maybe it’s because many of the sources of advice suggest spreading it out over the day and aiming to get in some tummy time each day.

Clarification: Regardless of the reason for the confusion, we’d like to assure you that we are not suggesting that you pencil tummy time into your calendar or to do list. The term “tummy time” was made popular during the Back-to-Sleep Campaign, a nation-wide effort to reduce deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome by teaching parents to put babies down to sleep on their backs (click here for a previous post campaign). As a way to help parents remember to put their babies down on their tummies while awake (but not asleep), health care providers used the term “tummy time” and slogans like “back to sleep, tummy to play.” It is possible that some parents found that incorporating tummy time into a routine helped them remember, but there is no evidence that babies need to be put onto their tummies at the same time every day and we found no recommendations for the number of “tummy times” or total minutes babies absolutely need.

Perception:  The tummy time recommendation is the only physical activity recommendation. Several of our readers seemed to think that we were suggesting that tummy time was the only alternative to being in a car seat, bouncy chair, or stroller.

Clarification: Just like adults, babies need to move to be healthy (see one of our early posts, For Babies, A Little Playtime is a Great Workout).   After being confined to their mom’s bellies for so long, even just stretching is great exercise for your baby. Babies need a lot of time to stretch, not just on their tummies, but on their backs too. Car seats are great for car rides and strollers are great for walks, but having their arms and legs free to move and stretch, being able to turn and raise their heads, and wiggling and twisting their bodies is how they get stronger and prepare for more complex movement.  

Perception: Tummy time is not necessary if a baby is carried in a sling. Some of our readers mentioned that wearing your baby in a sling provides the same benefits as tummy time and therefore, “baby wearing” could replace tummy time all together.

Clarification: First, I’d like to mention that the similarity between tummy time and baby wearing was new to us, so we searched for studies to share with our readers. We didn’t find any research articles, so if you have any you’d like to share with us, we’d love to take a look and possibly write a future post on them.  There is no question that holding your baby, in a sling or just in your arms, is very important (click here and here for a 2-part series on slings). Having close contact is beneficial for mothers and babies. But, like we mentioned before, babies need to develop their muscles, and to do that, they need to be able to move around in a variety of different positions. While many slings allow some flexibility for the baby to move around, some do not, and when it comes to muscle development, free movement is key.   

Perception: Tummy time is only good for preventing the “flat head”

Clarification:  Studies show that tummy time has several benefits. It does help to prevent plagiocephaly, the technical term for “flat head syndrome,” but it also strengthens muscles in the jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, and arms.  Also, health professionals have observed an increase in motor development delays corresponding to a decrease in the amount of time babies spend on their tummies.

We’d like to thank everyone who emailed, commented, or posted on Facebook in response to our tummy time post. We hope the information above provides a clearer picture of what tummy time means and why it is important. We recognize that every baby (and family) is different but the bottom line is that babies need time and space to stretch, push, twist, and turn. No baby should be bundled up, buckled up, or on his back or on his tummy all the time. Just like adults, babies need a variety of movement to stay strong and healthy.  

References:

American PhysicalTherapy Association (2008). Lack of time on tummy shown to hinder achievement of developmental milestones, say physical therapists. .

Majnemer A, Barr RG (2006). Association between sleep position and early motor development. The Journal of Pediatrics 149:623-29.

Monson RM, Deitz J, Kartin D (2003). The relationship between awake positioning and motor performance among infants who slept supine. Pediatric Physical Therapy 15, 196–203.

Stein MT (2007). Infants need daily “tummytime” for early motor development. Journal Watch Pediatrics and AdolescentMedicine.

The Active Mommy Conundrum: Can Exercise Harm Breastfeeding? Part I

By Taryn Barrette, RD and Jane Heinig

I don’t have children yet, but I’ve always imagined that one of my favorite things to do with my new baby would be to take him for a jog. I lead a pretty active lifestyle and feel that it is important to share my love for fitness with my children – but I also plan to breastfeed and I was concerned about the potential for exercise to affect my milk supply. I had also heard that lactic acid can build up in breast milk.

So, I began to wonder: Does exercise reduce milk supply? Does exercise lead to lactic acid in breast milk? And if so, can the baby actually taste it? If lactic acid is present in the milk, will the baby refuse to drink it? How am I ever going to be the active mommy that I’ve always dreamed of? In today’s post, we will discuss the effect of exercise on breast milk volume. Next time, we’ll talk about breast milk and lactic acid.

Exercise and Breast Milk Volume

In many countries around the world, the idea that physical activity would interfere with breastfeeding would be considered crazy or a joke. Most women in the world must maintain very active lives despite having young children in tow. Many women have physically demanding occupations and many more must walk great distances for food or water. Women with access to their children (not separated for many hours with no way to express their milk) are able to breastfeed despite their activity levels. The challenge comes when a woman’s occupation prevents her from being able to feed her baby. Her body will make less milk if less milk is removed. But exercising, especially in short to medium bouts, even at very high levels does not reduce milk supply. A series of important studies looking at this phenomenon where conducted here, at UC Davis. In the first of the studies, the researchers followed small groups of women who were either sedentary or extremely active (marathoners, masters swimmers, triathletes) and they found no difference in the women’s milk supply or in their infants’ growth. In fact, they found that the athletes tended to have higher milk volumes and greater energy content in their milk. In a follow-up study, the researchers took a group of sedentary women and increased their activity by putting them on a supervised exercise program (some of these women were also put on low-calorie diets). Once again, they found that there was no effect of the exercise on the mothers’ milk supply or their infants’ growth. Other studies have indicated that exercise did not interfere with lactation among women who were overweight when they began exercising. All of this research shows that going out for a jog (when you’re ready and the doctor says it’s ok) is a great idea!

References:

Lovelady CA, Lonnerdal B, Dewey KG. Lactation performance of exercising women.Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Jul;52(1):103-9.

Lovelady CA, Garner KE, Moreno KL, Williams JP. The effect of weight loss in overweight, lactating women on the growth of their infants. N Engl J Med. 2000 Feb 17;342(7):449-53.

Lovelady CA, Nommsen-Rivers LA, McCrory MA, Dewey KG. Effects of exercise on plasma lipids and metabolism of lactating women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1995 Jan;27(1):22-8.

Reader Question: Visiting Friends with our Baby

Last week we received the following question from one of our readers:

When my daughter was about 9 mos old we visited a good friend of mine that didn't have any kids at the time. The visit was SO stressful because I spent the whole time chasing my very active baby around their house trying to keep her out of their "breakables." My friend has invited us back several times since, but it was so hard the first time that I don't want to go back! How can I tell her that (or make the visit less stressful for me) without offending her?

When we read this question, we immediately identified with this mother’s situation. As mothers of young children ourselves, we each had a story to share of our own challenging visits to friends or family members’ houses that were not exactly “baby friendly.” Personally, I flashed back to a recent vacation we took to visit my best friend in Southern California (hopefully she’s not reading this!). I love my friend, but she and her husband don’t have kids and thus, their beautiful home is decorated with fragile (i.e. tempting) objects. My daughter has never been the type to sit still, and somehow she has it in her mind that “no” actually means “yes.” So, I spent the entire 4 day visit keeping my child from breaking something, making a mess or falling down their very steep staircase. Does this sound like a relaxing vacation to you?

At first I was afraid to say anything to my friend, so I tried reasoning with my daughter instead, saying “those aren’t okay to touch. Let’s play over here.” Then I would show her a safer area to play in. Redirecting her worked for awhile, but after 2 days, I needed a break! Finally, at my wits end, I asked if we could put some of the more delicate items up and out of reach. My friend said “no problem” and I relaxed a bit.

Since you can’t expect your mobile baby or toddler to sit still for long periods of time or not touch anything when they are driven to explore their environment, nor tell a friend or relative that you do not want to visit them because of the way their house is arranged or decorated, we’ve come up with a few things you can do to make the visit easier on everyone.

1. Ask your friend or family member if breakable items can be put up higher and out of the reach of your baby. Some people without children may not realize that babies as young as 9-months-old can pull themselves up on furniture and reach for items near them.

2. Bring a play pen with toys and books so your baby has safe activities to do. Keep the play pen near you and pack it with your child’s favorite toys to keep his interest.

3. Put a blanket on the floor with books and toys. That way you can sit and engage your baby and socialize with your visitors at the same time.

4. If you are really worried about going to someone else’s house, ask if your friends could come over to your house. Your child will feel more comfortable in his own home and you will be able to relax knowing he can move around freely.

5. If you are visiting around your child’s bedtime remember to bring pajamas and a blanket. Try to stay with your child’s normal bedtime schedule and routine even if you are away from home and be sure there is a safe sleeping space available for your child.

6. Bring a safety gate with you to block off dangerous staircases or rooms that have many breakables. While you’re at it, pack a few power outlet covers.

Remember, babyhood and toddlerhood fly by. Soon, you will be able to take your child on visits just about anywhere without worrying about her destroying your host’s home. Instead, you’ll just have to worry about reminding your newly potty trained child to use the big girl potty so that she doesn’t have an accident on your Aunt’s new white carpet. I guess this job called parenthood never really ends!

Infant Development 4-5 months: Distractions, Distractions!

By Jennifer Goldbronn

The 4- to 5-month-old baby is smiling and charming, attracting looks from passersby. His new game: purposely squealing or coughing just to get a reaction out of you. He is also conquering a myriad of new physical achievements, performing new feats almost on a daily basis. All of this excitement makes the average 4-month-old quite distracted. As we take a closer look at infant development in this age group, try to refrain from comparing your 4-month-old to your sister-in-law’s 4-month-old; every baby is unique as to when he will reach each developmental milestone!

Social Development
As your 4-month-old becomes more aware of her surroundings, she will become distracted by everyone (and everything) around her. This can make feeding rather challenging! I can remember trying to discreetly breastfeed my daughter in a restaurant when she suddenly craned her neck around to flirt with the waitress at the next table. Suddenly, I accidently flashed someone at the booth next to us. Embarrassing? Yes, but if I hadn’t known better at the time, I would have worried that she was rejecting my attempts to feed her. Luckily, I knew that she was only temporarily side-tracked. As she became able to focus at longer distances, exploring the world around her became more exciting than nursing. This didn’t last too long, but for a few weeks, we spent more of our time nursing in quiet rooms, free of distractions (and waitresses).

Cognitive Development
A baby’s sudden interest in the outside world is actually an important stage in his development. Let your baby explore and look around as much as possible. He has just discovered the law of cause (if I do this) and effect (that will happen). He will begin to use the same noises over and over in his attempts to get the same responses. He will love to play repetitive games and squeal with excitement whenever he finds he can predict your actions. Because he is so interested in his expanding world, you might find it easier to feed your baby in a quiet place, and keep baby’s sleep area free from distractions as well. Soon, baby will adjust to the extra stimulation and will focus back on Mom and the breast at feeding time.

Physical Development
Physical development is advancing at an amazing rate around 4-5 months. Babies are learning to sit with support and to use their hands to balance while sitting. They begin reaching and often are able to put objects in their mouths and transfer objects from one hand to the other. While counseling a mother of a baby who had just learned to reach for objects, I remember the mother exclaiming “Oh look! He’s reaching for his brother’s goldfish crackers! He must want some!” As I explained to her that her baby would practice reaching for ANY object, the baby demonstrated by quickly reaching for the board book I put in front of him.

Now is the time to expand tummy time! Tummy time is important for babies to develop strong back, arm and shoulder muscles for crawling. You can make this time more pleasant by getting on baby’s level to help engage his interest. Some babies this age might also roll over, but this happens at different ages for each child.

Growth Spurts
Four-month-olds often go through a growth spurt. Don’t be surprised if your baby wants to feed more often for a few days. A baby’s increased need for calories is important at this time for both physical and cognitive growth. If you are nursing, your body will automatically respond to these increased feedings by making more milk. Some breastfeeding mothers see this increased hunger or fussiness as a cue to start solid foods like cereal or to supplement with formula, but until a baby is 6-months old he needs nothing but his mother’s breast milk.

Sleep
For most families, there is a noticeable change in baby’s sleep around 4 months. Baby starts to fall asleep in quiet sleep and sleeps deeply for longer stretches. Many parents start to feel the fog of sleep deprivation lift a bit. However, off and on, all of the exciting things your baby is learning may disrupt his sleep. This is normal! Changes in routine, teething, illness, and overstimulation can increase night waking for a few days at a time throughout the first year. Be patient; this won’t last forever. You’ll get a LOT of advice about your baby’s sleep around this age. We find that most families find routines that work for them, eventually. Perhaps that’s a good topic for a future post.

Next time: 6-7 months: New faces and goodbyes may be disturbing to your baby at this age; be patient and give her time to adapt.

For Babies, A Little Playtime is a Great Workout!

Everyone knows adults and kids need physical activity to stay healthy and strong, but what about infants? It might surprise you, but it is very important for infants to get some kind of physical activity every day.

Babies need to get out of their swings, bouncy seats, car seats, and walkers and be able to move their bodies freely. They need time to play on their tummies and on their backs. Moving freely helps them build the muscles they need to work on motor skills such as rolling over, crawling, and walking. Young infants can be encouraged to move their arms and legs by showing them a colorful toy. They’ll show their interest by squirming, kicking their legs, and moving their arms. Older infants can crawl after toys and roll a ball back to you. They will also want to work on their fine motor skills (fingers, hands) by picking up objects and putting them in boxes or giving them to you.

Since you are your child’s first teacher, it is important to set aside time each day for your baby to play with you. Playtime increases learning skills needed later for talking and reading. Babies love to be able to predict what will happen to them. Your baby will want you to do the same thing over and over again when she plays with you. So go ahead and make the car sound over and over again when you push the toy car along the floor. Your baby will love it!

Playing will also help your baby sleep better at night. Keep in mind that it doesn’t take much physical activity to make a baby tired. Even just a few minutes playing on the floor can tire a newborn. As babies get older, they can spend more time playing and they will be interested in learning about new toys and games. Watch for signs that your baby is tiring so that he doesn’t get over stimulated or overtired. He might look or turn away, arch his back, or yawn. With the right amount of stimulation, your baby will be happy and ready for a good night’s sleep at bedtime!

Here is a list of toys that are safe for babies to play with:
Soft blocks
Rattles
Plastic bowls and spoons
Soft plush toys
Soft books

Remember: If a toy is small enough to fit inside a toilet paper roll, it is not safe for your baby to play with.

Next time: Yes, You Can Breastfeed After a C-Section!