written by Renee Mandala, ParentCare Director Infant caregiving is demanding and rewarding. Adults and babies grow capacities rapidly, and caregiving times can build connection. As such, feeding time is about more than nutrition. The infant’s physical, social, neurological, emotional, and sensory systems develop, while relationship-building and co-regulation of our nervous systems take place, in addition to...
written by Renee Mandala, M.A. CD(DONA) C.L.C. Expectant families are rightly, more frequently being advised by their medical providers to breastfeed their babies. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends at least 6 months of exclusive nursing, and continued nursing through at least the first year with the addition of complimentary solids. They also recommend nursing beyond...
written by Carol Castanon, Parent Consultant Sleep is important to parents and children. Parents often become obsessed with sleep, because sleep deprivation deeply affects our mental and emotional state. Parents might even feel panic around loss of sleep. Night parenting is often the hardest time to parent. Every family will develop their own ways getting children...
written by Carol Castanon, Parent Consultant Babies begin to communicate who they are, and are becoming in those first moments after birth and beyond. As adults, we come into these new relationships with joy, worry and expectation. As the baby’s grown-up, there are times in the baby relationship when we are simply providing the basics of...
written by Carol Castanon, Parent Consultant Infants tell their caregivers when they are hungry, wet, tired, or not feeling quite right. They cry, they wiggle and they sometimes struggle to get to sleep. They’ll reach for the nipple and then sometimes pull away, and then seem to reach back again. They’ll find your loving gaze and...