Posts tagged: Ages + Stages

By Hadley Seward, Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Founder of Bonne Nuit BabyMost new parents have heard of the four-month sleep regression. Just when you thought you’re in the groove, everything gets crazy again: short naps, multiple overnight wake-ups… the list goes on.It’s true that sleep can get wonky around 16 weeks. Your baby’s body and brain are making huge developmental leaps, all of which coincide to disrupt sleep and leave us parents worried that we’ll never sleep again. And guess what? The changes to your baby’s sleep are here to...

While most new moms pack their baby registry with bottles and nursing gear, fewer have time to map out the kitchen tools they’ll crave in four to six months when baby starts on solids. (Truth: your itty bitty newborn will be snacking on sweet potato faster than you think!) Registered dietitians Amanda Baker Lemein and Julie Pappas did the vetting for you—check out their favorite mom-tested, expert-approved feeding tools that make prepping nutritious meals and snacks a whole lot easier—and actually a lot of fun. Puree dispensing spoon The Boon...

By Hadley Seward, Pediatric Sleep Consultant + Founder of Bonne Nuit Baby As new parents, we’re all fixated on our babies’ nighttime sleep. We fantasize about those 10-hour stretches and dream about the day our little ones will be on a 7-7 schedule. Finally, we’ll have our lives back! But most of us don’t focus as much on naps, since it doesn’t impact our sleep as much. Here’s what you may not know: there’s a lot of cognitive and physical development that goes on during a nap, especially after 16...

You’ve probably heard the stats: all it takes are a few bad sunburns in childhood to double a person’s chance of developing skin cancer. But what exactly is in the SPF we’re supposed to slather on our babes (that is, after six months), and which brands offer the safest, most effective ingredients? Read on before you hit the kiddie pool. Babies Under 6 Months: An umbrella, stroller canopy, and lightweight, long-sleeved clothing are your best bet for sun protection if you’ve got a little babe under six months. Doctors recommend...

You beat the four-month sleep regression. Convinced your standing baby to let go of the crib rails and lay down for naps. It’s sleep victory—at least until you roll out the toddler bed. If you’re dealing with midnight visits to mom and dad’s bed, endless water requests before lights out, or a painfully early riser, check out this try-it-tonight advice from childhood development and sleep expert Julie Wright, MFT, founder of The Happy Sleeper. Think of the bedroom as an ‘expanded crib’ Gearing up for the crib to toddler bed...

When you’re cruising the grocery store aisle for baby food, it’s almost harder today to find jars and pouches that aren’t organic. But when it comes to getting your little dressed? Totally different story. Loads of babies live in cotton—yet organic cotton makes up less than 1 percent of all cotton grown in the US (despite the boatload of info we’ve got about the benefits of shopping organic, especially for tiny babes.) While cotton sounds super gentle and safe, it’s actually a crop that—unless produced with organic farming—receives a ton...

Cloth diapers can feel intimidating—there’s the old-school origami-style folding, the prospect of having to, um, deal with the contents inside, and the fact that there are over a dozen different types. But the truth is they’re not all that complicated. (Don’t forget we live in the age of the NoseFrida—today’s cloth diapers aren’t your Grandma’s.) Read this primer to decide if they’re worth a shot for your family. The Options: Flat or Prefolds Traditional and super cheap (just a few bucks each), these diapers essentially look like a dish rag...

From Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Montessori school has some high-profile, deep-thinking graduates. The basic concept behind Montessori—let kids learn through discovery, instead of instruction—can feel vague and mysterious to those who haven’t stepped inside the walls of this less than traditional education system. So to set the scene for interested parents, we chatted with Kitty Bravo, Director of Education at the Center for Guided Montessori Studies, about what to expect. The classroom is the teacher Montessori classrooms are lined with wall-to-wall activities...

'Tis the season for good luck, leprechauns and rainbows! We tapped Katie Baumgartner of Make to Celebrate to come up with some festive activities to help your little celebrate St. Paddy's Day—take a look at her colorful suggestions.1. Make Leprechaun BinocularsThis one's super easy to do at home—simply glue or tape two paper rolls together, and use little scissors to make a slit in each one to add a string. Your child can use paint sticks (these Kwik Stix are a teacher favorite because they dry super fast!) to decorate...

Designer, tastemaker, blogger, mom—Wit & Delight founder Kate Arends has had a transformative few years nurturing her St. Paul-based studio and global social following, not to mention two (very adorable) tots at home. We chatted with Arends about everything from designing with cozy corners in mind (she's a fan of Interior Define x Monica + Andy's new line of high-quality kids furniture) to her status as an 'accidental' influencer, and how you can find confidence in your work.How has your design aesthetic evolved now that you have two toddlers running...