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The Goals of Pumping Pumping breast milk for a preemie accomplishes two things: First, premature babies often have difficulty breastfeeding at first and with expressed milk, they can still receive the benefits of breast milk without having to nurse. Breast milk produced by mothers of premature babies has a different composition that is optimal for preemies. It is higher in protein and minerals and contains different types of fat that are more easily digested and absorbed....

We have good news though—although your little one may no longer need that mid-afternoon shut-eye, they do still need and benefit from a daily rest time. Read on to learn about how to transition your toddler from napping to playing independently for a stretch of time each day. When Do Most Children Stop Napping? Most kids will stop napping somewhere between 2 and a half and 5 years old. “Less than a tenth of kids are still napping at age 5, though many 4 year olds still nap,” says Leah Alexander, MD FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician in New Jersey and the senior editor of Amy Baby Review....

Materials Popsicle stick Ruler Waterproof marker Clean, empty soup can Colorful contact paper or paintbrush, acrylic paints, and clear acrylic spray (optional) Glue Plastic bucket and sand (optional) Directions

She’s Got Talent Art as a subject is taught in most schools, often from the middle grades on up. Some schools also hold monthly art exhibits. Others schedule performances where your artistic daughter can read her poetry or show off her blossoming acting talent or the props she painted for the drama club. If your girl’s school is underfunded in the art department, check out the art center in your community....

The issue: Parents’ requests of the school need to be reasonable. Under usual circumstances, parents of children with disabilities should need only to request rather than demand services, and they need to be reasonably patient before moving to “demand mode.” The special education laws were developed to provide children with a reasonably good education and not a perfect education. So, if you start to demand services or accommodations that are deemed excessive, don’t be surprised when the school digs in its heels....

This study is just another of many factors contributing to the ever-widening gap in education between children in high and low socioeconomic situations. The Study Researchers analyzed 26 different schools in 4 regions of the United States, tracking 3rd- and 5th-grade students in all socioeconomic environments. The teachers filled out behavioral assessments for students in their classrooms, and researchers used live observations as well during recess. Researchers were analyzing the type and quality of equipment, cleanliness of the play space, a diversity of activities available, and even how involved the adults were with children, which helped minimize conflict between students as well....

It is rare indeed for a parent/caregiver relationship to go so smoothly that there never is a difference of opinion or other difficulty between the parties. If there is an issue involving actual harm to your child, working things out is not an option you will want to pursue. On the other hand, less serious problems might be able to be resolved. This would avoid having to go through the process of finding childcare all over again....

You look up at your real-life child, engrossed in their reading and in an instant the image of the toddler on your screen stretches longer, having aged 6 years. You can’t believe how grown up their face looks today! Your baby is no longer a baby, but an independent child with a mind of their own. School-age children thrive when their physical and emotional needs are met. Learning about their development and their nutritional, physical, social, and emotional requirements can help you parent them in the best way possible....

It seems so simple. Once your child can sense they need to go to the bathroom, then they can and will start using the toilet rather than diapers. Right? Well, like those in the trenches know, it’s rarely that easy. Similar to the wealth of advice and strategies on handling the familiar challenges of how to get them to go to (and stay in) bed (tear-free) and eat their peas (without spitting them out), there are enough theories on the best potty training methods to make your head spin....

Increased Pigmentation and Vascular Spiders You might be one of the women who wear the “mask of pregnancy.” This is a scary sounding name for a change in the pigmentation of the skin on the face, particularly the forehead, nose, upper lip and cheeks, also called Melasma. As a result of the high levels of hormones in your body, patches of darkened skin sometimes appear on the face (light patches might appear on dark-skinned women)....

Effort: Quick and easy - no sewing required Materials: Yellow sweatshirt Yellow sweatpants Spare tire Black paint and paintbrush Yellow face paint (optional) Cardboard for sign (optional) Broom handle for sign (optional) Instructions: Cover tread of tire in black paint. While wet, roll tire over shirt and pants horizontally. Wait for clothes to dry. Put on outfit. Paint face yellow. Other Details: Make a “Speed Bump” or “Go Slow” traffic sign out of cardboard, attach to a broom handle, and carry....