theAsianparent Philippines: Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids

Finally cradling the baby in your arms is supposed to give you joy you never thought imaginable. The only problem is, you feel none of the so-called mother’s bliss. In fact, all you are is a big ball of sadness and anxiousness post-birth. Sounds like a case of baby blues… or could this be the onset of postpartum depression?

Luckily, baby blues could go away in a few weeks’ time. Postpartum depression, on the other hand, could last as short as a few weeks, but in some cases, go on for months or even years. The reason why people easily mistake baby blues to postpartum depression is because of the similarities in symptoms. But postpartum depression takes on a more serious condition, brought on by hormonal or physical changes, and the stress coupled with having a new baby.

Here are symptoms that you should watch out for:

Severe mood swings and intense irritability or anger

Baby blues may simply make you feel irritable to a certain degree, but nothing a little comfort may cure – affection from the husband, a little ‘me’ time, or a simple indulgence like chocolate.

Postpartum depression makes you feel more out of control with your anger that mood swings become extreme, sometimes triggering thoughts of harming yourself or worse, your baby.

Loss of interest

In postpartum depression, you feel like you’ve lost all interest in things that used to get you up and going. You go about your day with a feeling like all joy and spirit have been sucked out of you. You lack the appetite for life, you don’t want to see friends and family, you don’t even feel the least bit interested to make love to your partner.

Watch out for this postpartum depression symptom, as this may result in a dent on your marriage and relationships.

Severe drop in self-esteem

After giving birth, you start feeling like a worthless nobody. This is clearly a sign of postpartum depression as thoughts of inadequacy as an individual start to get to your head, making you lose esteem and drive like none of what you do is worth it.

If you feel like your self-esteem is taking a beating post-birth, surround yourself with people who love and care for you to validate your self-worth.

You can’t – and don’t feel like – bonding with your baby

Postpartum depression makes you nothing short of indifferent towards your little one. When the sight of your own baby just makes you want to run the other way instead of overwhelming you with that motherly glow, this is a red flag for postpartum depression. Studies have shown how postpartum depression could have long-term behavioral and emotional repercussions on the baby.

When any of these symptoms come to play, or if you just feel unusually out of it even with your new title as ‘Mom,’ then immediately seek the advice of your health practitioner for possible medication, and create a solid support system to help you through this tough time, whether it’s the baby blues or diagnosed postpartum depression.

This is when a baby needs all the love and care that they can easily get from you as a mom so making sure you are physically and emotionally healthy will give you the best reward you can ever ask for – invaluable time with your baby.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ANGELA VERA

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Vaccinations are important to protect your child from disease and sickness. Keep your child safe and make sure that he gets properly vaccinated today!

Preschool Activities: Fun ocean sensory activities!

One of the best ways for a child to learn is through sensory play. It is easier for the child to process and retain information when they engage their sense, so why not apply this when teaching them about certain things? Case in point, let them learn about the ocean through sensory play! Here’s a list of activities that you can let your children dabble with while teaching them a thing or two about life under and above the sea!

1. Let your little one have fun at the “beach” with this Baby/Toddler Beach Sensory Bin with Edible Sand!

2. Make an Ocean in a Bottle with 3 simple ingredients! Quick, fun and easy to make!

3. If you’ve got a house full of girls, then this activity is definitely for you! Let them channel their inner Ariel and help them come up with this adorable Mermaid’s Lagoon.

4. Let your kids free play and build their own underwater world with this great clay activity: Ocean Themed Modelling Clay Activity for Kids

5. Give this Sand Play Dough a try and watch how much fun your tot or grade schooler will have while forming shapes out of their “sand”.

6. Let your child explore life underwater with this science experiment that’s easy to set up and that doesn’t cost a thing: Icey Ocean Sensory Play And Ice Melt

7. Let your child discover life on the ocean floor with this Ocean Floor Discovery Bin!

8. Got 5 minutes to spare? Then you’ve definitely got time to whip up this Fizzing Ocean World with ingredients you can find in your kitchen and trinkets from your toy box.

9. Keep your kids busy with this Soapy Sea Foam activity that’s sure to teach them a thing or two about the ocean and that’ll help beat the heat!

10. There’s nothing better than being a kid and getting to stick your hand into a tub of slime! Keep the ocean theme rolling with this Ocean Slime Recipe!

Giving birth is hard at any age. But is it safe at 65?

A 65-year-old primary school teacher has caused an international uproar after intentionally impregnating herself so that her youngest daughter could be an older sister. Already a mother of 13, Annegret Raunigk, underwent In vitro fertilization (IVF) to get pregnant as she is currently single and in menopause.

Raunigk is the oldest mother to give birth and conceive naturally in Germany at the age of 55 and has been reported to have basically raised almost all of her children alone.

IVF has its own risks.

IVF: Illegal for her age in Germany, perfectly fine in Ukraine

The journey to this point wasn’t easy for Raunigk. Germany does not allow women of Raugnik’s age to undergo IVF treatments, especially if they would need donor eggs and sperm to conceive.

According to reports, these restrictions are what prompted Raunigk to go to Ukraine where a lot of women who want to get pregnant go for IVF. While there, Raunigk received both eggs and sperm along with an undisclosed number of hormone treatments in order to conceive.

But why did she have quadruplets? Due to her age and slim chances of her getting pregnant, doctors used four eggs for her IVF treatment. They never expected all four to be fertilized. Initially, Raunigk considered keeping one baby and putting the others up for adoption but has since changed her mind.

International uproar

Not only have German medical professionals called Raunigk irresponsible and unwise, but State politician Karl Lauterbach made it a point to make an example of Raunigk by announcing that her case should not be an aspiration for any woman to follow.

Dr. Arthur Caplan, founding head of the Division of Bioethics at New York University Langone Medical Center, called Raunigk’s actions unethical and sees her pregnancy as a publicity stunt to gain attention, fame and revenue by willfully undertaking a risky pregnancy.

“The fact that IVF is illegal in Germany for women her age should have been indication of the risk and danger that she can face with such a procedure,” says Dr. Caplan.

Raunigk, on the other hand, dismissed her critics by saying that no one can dictate what she can and cannot do at 65 years old and that people should stop interfering with her life.

Click ‘Continue Reading’ to see what health risks Annegret Raugnik may be facing.

Annegret Raunigk, carrying quadruplets. Photo from The Guardian

In an interview with The Associated Press, Dr. Holger Stepan, head of Obstetrics at the University of Leipzig, shared that the body of a 65-year-old woman is not equipped to handle pregnancy, much less carry four babies full term.

Most triplets and quadruplets are born 11 weeks early, according to statistics, so it’s quite possible that Raunigk’s babies won’t reach full term. Furthermore, she risks facing one of these distressing health risks:

High blood pressure and pre-eclampsia. Since menopausal women usually have high blood pressure, it’s easier to develop chronic hypertension that can result in pre-eclampsia symptoms.
Pregnancy diabetes. Developing diabetes during pregnancy can translate to a difficult birth and lots of risk to the infant during and just after birth.
Preeclampsia. One of the most feared pregnancy complications, this can happen at 20 weeks of gestation and can put both the mother and child at risk. The only cure for this condition is delivery of the baby. If Raunigk acquires this, she might have to choose between her life and the babies’ especially if it’s too early to birth them.

The risks above simply outline the pregnancy complications a woman on menopause faces, and does not include the risks that IVF brings about which are miscarriage, low birth placenta, pre-term labor and ectopic pregnancy.

The quadruplets face risks on all fronts.

Children at risk inside the womb

Aside from her own health, Raunigk’s quadruplets – having been conceived through IVF – face health risks of their own:

Pre-term birth
Low birth weight
Being stillborn
Cerebral bleeding
Paralysis
Optical and olfactory problems

In order to prevent complications and premature labor, Raunigk was informed that she may have to be admitted into a hospital earlier than her August due date. Also, while critical of the doctors in Ukraine who enabled the multiple pregnancy,Raunigk’s gynaecologist said that the 65-year-old’s “prevailing positive psychological mood” would contribute much to the pregnancy’s outcome.

Update as of May 25, 2015: According to reports, Annegret Raunigk has given birth to healthy quadruplets via c-section, 3 months earlier than they were due. Annegret has three boys named Dries, Bence and Fjonn, and one girl named Neeta. The babies weigh between one pound and seven ounces and two pounds and two ounces.

Although it’s been reported that the four newborns stand a “strong chance of survival”, they are still susceptible to complications as they were born premature.

What do you think of getting pregnant at such an age? Share your thoughts in the comment box below!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dana Santos

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

An 8-week-old baby in Ireland has bouffant so thick that he’s got the whole internet doing double takes. Junior Noon has earned the nickname of “Baby Bear” because of his incredible head of hair.

“When he was born it was quite thick but everyone said it would stop and that a lot of it would fall out,” his mother Chelsea Noon explained to The Mirror.

Photo: juniorcoxnoons/Instagram

Normally that is exactly what happens. According to What to Expect, newborns usually shed their hair during the first six months, some even going from a full head of hair to a bare head.

However, Junior’s hair didn’t fall out, but instead, just continued to grow so much that it started to stick up. His hair got so thick that he has to have it blow-dried as it would take too long to air-dry.

Here’s a video of Baby Bear getting a blow-dry:

Now, his luxurious mane gets all the attention whenever he goes on trips to the supermarket. “Usually it takes me about 40 minutes to do my weekly shop in Asda and now it takes me two hours,” Chelsea added.

On the next page: find out what doctors had to say about Baby Bear’s impressive mane.

Junior’s proud mom went on to say that even medical professionals have been flummoxed by her son’s hair. “The doctors say they are amazed and have never seen a baby with so much hair in all the time they have been working,” she said. “Everyone’s shocked.”

A former hairdresser, Chelsea doesn’t plan on trimming her son’s hair just yet.

“I definitely don’t want to cut it, I want to see how long it actually does grow out. I don’t know where his hair has come from it’s like a big ball of candy floss.”

Photo: juniorcoxnoons/Instagram

Though you probably won’t get results like Baby Bear’s hair, here are some ways to care for your baby’s hair from Parenting.com:

Don’t wash your baby’s hair every day—no more than twice a week. Your baby’s scalp won’t be producing too much oil during the first 6 months, so there’s no need to shampoo frequently.
As much as possible, use hypoallergenic, fragrance-free products to avoid irritation.
If your baby has lots of hair or tight curls, use conditioner or a spray detangler to help get rid of tangles.
Be careful around clips and hair accessories that could slip off and turn into potential choking hazards.

READ: 23 Ridiculously adorable babies with full heads of hair

Be sure to check out ParentTown for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Google+ to stay up-to-date on the latest from theAsianparent.com Philippines!

Your baby’s babbling may be nonsensical now, but listening and responding to their goo-goos and ga-gas can make a world of a difference when it comes to their development.

According to a study by the University of Iowa and Indiana University, parents who act like they understand their baby’s babbling strengthens their communication skills.

“It’s how a mother responds that matters”

Photo: Dreamstime

By listening and responding to your baby’s babbling, you let your child know that they are able to communicate, spurring them on to learn language more quickly.

“It’s not that we found responsiveness matters,” study author Julie Gros-Louis said in an official statement. “It’s how a mother responds that matters.”

Read more about the study on the next page.

The researchers studied a group of mothers and babies in play sessions over six months, beginning when the babies were eight months old, The Atlantic reports. The mothers responded to their babies’ babbling in two ways:

the redirective response, where the mothers would distract the baby with something else, like a toy or something in the room
the sensitive response, where the mothers would verbally reply or imitate their babies’ sounds

“They learned they are communicative”

Photo: Shutterstock

One month after their last session, the infants whose mothers showed “sensitive” responses displayed more sophisticated babbling that were often directed at their mothers—showing that they were trying to “speak” to them instead of just making noise for the sake of it. These babies also produced more words and gestures at age 15 months.

“The infants were using vocalizations in a communicative way, in a sense, because they learned they are communicative,” Gros-Louis explained.

READ: Talking baby: A video on how to teach your baby to speak

It’s been long established that babies can hear their mother’s voice from inside the womb, and that after birth, newborns are able to recognize their mother’s voice.

Now, thanks to a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine, we also know that children’s brains are far more responsive to their mother’s voice compared to other people’s voices. Researchers found that the regions that respond strongly to the mother’s voice aren’t limited to the auditory areas; they also include those involved in emotion and social functions, Aeon reports.

“We didn’t realize that a mother’s voice would have such quick access to so many different brain systems”

Photo: Shutterstock

“The extent of the regions that were engaged was really quite surprising,” senior author Vinod Menon said in a news release.

The study found that the stronger the connections between the brain regions activated by the mother’s voice, the better the child’s communication skills usually are in the future.

“Many of our social, language, and emotional processes are learned by listening to our mom’s voice,” said lead author Daniel Abrams. “But surprisingly little is known about how the brain organizes itself around this very important sound source. We didn’t realize that a mother’s voice would have such quick access to so many different brain systems.”

Read more about this amazing study on the next page.

“We know that hearing mother’s voice can be an important source of emotional comfort to children,” Abrams said. “Here, we’re showing the biological circuitry underlying that.”

A mother’s voice is more powerful than we had thought

Photo: Dreamstime

Previous studies had found that babies actively listen to their mom’s voice during the third trimester, according to BabyCenter. Also, children are soothed by their mother’s voice in stressful situations—her voice reduces the stress hormone cortisol while increasing the social bonding hormone oxytocin.

This new study establishes that a mother’s voice plays a vital part in the formation of brain connections. This is one more reason why expectant mothers are encouraged to talk and sing to their babies in the womb, and continue actively communicating with their children as they get older.

“Voice is one of the most important social communication cues,” Menon said. “It’s exciting to see that the echo of one’s mother’s voice lives on in so many brain systems.”

READ: Listening and responding to your baby’s babbling can make them smarter

Most parents start potty training when their kids are between 22-30 months old, according to WebMD, but you can actually start them even earlier. Infant potty training—also known as “elimination communication”, “natural infant hygiene”, and “baby-led potty training”—introduces your baby to the toilet at a very early age. According to BabyCenter, infant potty training usually starts between birth and 4 months.

Infant potty training isn’t a new phenomenon. In fact, it’s the norm in much of the non-Western world, according to Parenting Science. In these countries, diapers are considered unnecessary, and parents leave their baby’s bottoms uncovered. When their babies have to eliminate, parents usually hold them over a toilet, an outdoor latrine, or the open ground until they’re finished.

Today, more parents—especially those who practice attachment parenting—are showing interest in infant potty training for several reasons. Here are some of the pros and cons of infant toilet training.

Photo: Shutterstock

Infant potty training: Pros

You save money on diapers and diaper-related products
It’s more comfortable for your baby because it spares them from diaper rashes and the discomfort of wearing a diaper
It brings you closer to your baby because you become more attuned to their needs
It helps your baby become more independent. When your baby starts crawling, he can go to the potty on his own.
You don’t produce as much diaper waste.

Infant potty training: Cons

It doesn’t work for all babies. According to some medical experts, babies don’t know how a full bladder or rectum feels until 12 months, and can only control their bladder or bowels slightly at 18 months.
It’s very time-consuming and frustrating
It’s messy. Even if your baby learns to go to the potty by himself, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll never have an accident again.

Find out how to do infant potty training on the next page!

How does infant potty training work?

While some parents start infant potty training right after birth, others choose to wait until their baby is 3-6 months. Here’s are some tips from Parenting Science and BabyCenter to help you get started:

1. Pay close attention to your baby’s signals before he eliminates. You can choose to use diapers while you’re still learning to read your baby’s cues. Babies usually squirm, make faces, breathe heavily, or shudder before they need to void.

Photo: Shutterstock

2. When you understand that your baby is about to eliminate, hold your baby over a receptacle. Some parents use bowls or sinks for young babies, and potty chairs for babies who can sit up by themselves.

3. While your baby is in the process of elimination, make a noise that your baby will associate with going to the toilet. Some parents use a hissing sound, while others use a phrase like “go potty”.

4. At night, keep a potty by your bed. Babies don’t usually eliminate during deep sleep, and will become restless when they need to go potty. When they become restless, you can put your baby on the potty.

5. You could also use diapers at night, and spare yourself from the exhaustion. Don’t pressure yourself to never use diapers—using them occasionally (e.g. at night or when you’re out) is perfectly alright.

6. When your baby has an accident—and it will happen, stay calm and relaxed. Don’t make a huge fuss out of it so your baby doesn’t stress out about the process. Stay positive and help your child feel good about going potty.

READ: How humor can make potty training easy

Plenty of parents look forward to their baby’s first words, but according to new research, your baby is trying to communicate with you even before they start speaking, reports Medical Xpress. According to researchers from the University of Manchester, your baby’s first gestures are their first attempts at communication.

The first signs of communication: “Showing” and “giving”

Before this study, research has focused on how infants point with their index finger—something that usually happens around 12 months. But Lieven and her colleagues have focused on even earlier pre-linguistic behaviors, particularly “showing” and “giving” behaviors.

Photo: Dreamstime

Though these behaviors are widespread, the researchers found that most parents usually don’t know why their babies are doing them. Even more experienced parents often overlook these behaviors. But recognizing these behaviors and responding to them can help your baby develop their language.

“We’ve found that talking to babies about the things they’re showing an interest in helps their language development,” said coauthor Professor Elena Lieven in a media release.

To encourage language building, parents and caregivers should engage with their babies when they display these behaviors. The more the parents responded to their babies’ “showing and giving” behaviors, the more they would demonstrate “pointing” behaviors later on.

Read more about this groundbreaking study on the next page.

To conduct the study, the researchers monitored how caregivers and 24 babies communicated using toys, following them from age 10 months to 12 months. They then analyzed the responses of the caregivers to their babies’ “showing” and “giving” behaviors.

“Understanding babies’ gestures could be just as important as understanding their early language”

“Our research demonstrates that babies may be doing more to communicate than many of us usually assume, and at an earlier age,” said Lieven.

Photo: Shutterstock

“The ability to share and direct attention is an essential basis for typical language development, and others have found that it is often impaired in children on the autism spectrum.

“By understanding these early behaviors, parents have a great opportunity to help support their children’s later language development. Understanding babies’ gestures could be just as important as understanding their early language.”

READ: How to Boost Your Baby’s Language Development

According to a recent study, planning an early birth for your baby might give them developmental problems.

The chances are further increased with planned early C-sections

The study, done at the University of Sydney in New South Wales said that babies that were born before 37 weeks of pregnancy are more likely to have developmental problems later on in life. 37 weeks is generally considered “full term” in medical science.

Premature births have been known to cause developmental problems, but because some parents choose to plan an early birth, such as with C-sections, the chances are further increased.

The study analyzed 153,730 infants who were born after 32 weeks. The researches then found out that 9.6% of those who were born early suffered from developmental issues at school age. Jason Bentley, lead author for the study, recommends that parents should go for 39 weeks if they wish to plan their child’s birth.

There is an increasing trend of planned early births

Generally, C-sections are usually done if it’s a complicated birth or if the baby or the mother is at risk. If parents would choose to have a C-section for a non-medical reason, then doctors are advised to inform them to wait until the 39th or 40th week.

The study adds more reason for parents to forego an early birth in favor of a later one. Most doctors would actually recommend prolonging the pregnancy for as long as possible since a longer gestational period is better for newborns

Dr. Siobhan Dolan from Montefiore Medical Center in New York chimed in and said, “If you are having a healthy pregnancy, it is best to wait for labor to start on its own and if you are being induced or having a cesarean section – wait until at least 39 weeks.”

“If you have a pregnancy complication – you may need to be delivered before 39 weeks – so talk to you doctor to understand the risks and benefits,” Dolan adds.

Go to the next page to learn more about scheduling your child’s birth.

Why should I wait as long as possible to give birth?

Waiting until your due date has a lot of benefits not only for your baby, but also for you as well. Here are just some of the reasons why it’s best to choose to give birth on or after your due date:

It poses a huge risk for babies. Babies that are born before the regular 39 weeks of gestation are usually taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Bigger is better. The longer your child stays in your tummy, the bigger they’ll grow. Bigger babies are healthier as they can regulate their bodily functions better since they’re more mature.
The brain develops better. Did you know that a baby’s brain at 35 weeks weighs only 2/3 of what a 40 week old baby’s brain weighs? This means that your baby’s brain will be better developed if you choose to deliver at 40 weeks.
Early births can cause breathing problems. The lungs are the last organs to mature in a baby. That’s why babies that are born early, or premature can have more breathing problems than usual.
It can cause complications for mothers. Inducing an early birth can cause a lot of complications since it increases the chances that a mother will require a C-section.
It’s more painful. In cases wherein a birth is artificially induced, different types of medication are used to induce the birth. When this happens, the contractions can actually be stronger and more painful for mothers.

READ: 9 Risk factors for premature birth

Sources: itechpost.com, foxnews.com, parents.com

Though your baby can’t tell you with words that he loves you, you can see how much affection he has for you through the little things that he does. Just pay attention.

1. They prefer you over other people

“Within a few weeks, babies can recognize their caregiver and they prefer her to other people,” Alison Gopnik, Ph.D., author of The Philosophical Baby, tells Parents. The more you pay attention to your baby’s needs and respond, the more your baby will learn that he can rely on you.

Photo: Dreamstime

2. They stare at you

When your baby looks straight into your eyes, that’s a sign of your baby’s efforts to get to know you, says The Bump. Even newborns, who don’t have very good eyesight, will try to look for their caregiver’s face. Your baby will even mimic your facial expressions, making them feel closer to you.

3. They reach for you

Your baby reaches for things that they want—that includes you. According to Romper, once babies understand that reaching for things gets them what they want, they’ll start reaching for you too.

Find out about more ways to know that your baby loves you on the next page.

4. They talk to you

According to BabyCenter, your baby’s first coos are his attempts to communicate with you. He won’t just start talking to himself. Engage your baby and answer back. Even though neither of you can completely understand what the other is trying to say, your connection will be undeniable.

5. They turn towards your voice

Your baby starts to hear sound 20 weeks into pregnancy, so that by the time they’re born, they’ll be well-acquainted with your voice. Young babies like familiar sounds, and so will turn their heads towards the sound of their mother’s voice.

Photo: Shutterstock

6. They hate to see you leave

So many new moms have talked about how hard it is to even go on a bathroom break with a baby, as just stepping out of the room can send their baby in distress. Your presence is comforting to your baby. Even though your baby’s cries aren’t pleasant to hear, they’re indications of your importance to your baby. Also: pay attention to how your baby lights up when you enter the room.

7. They pay attention to your interests

Ever noticed how your baby shows an interest in things you’re preoccupied with—whether it’s the dirty laundry or your phone? This behavior, according to BabyCenter, starts when your baby is just a couple of months old, but is more pronounced at 9-12 months. Pediatrician Harvey Karp says that this is a sign that your baby “is engaged with you and values what you’re paying attention to.”

READ: 23 Simple ways for moms to bond with their baby

Babies typically start saying simple words like “mama” and “dada” around their 12th month, but one baby blew her parents away after she appeared to say “hello” at just 7 weeks old.

The adorable moment, captured on video, shows baby Evelyn Matthews watching her mother Sara’s face intently as she says “hello” to her baby over and over again.

“Can you say hello?” Sara asks.

Evelyn appears to be concentrating as she tries to mimic her mother, releasing a gurgle.

After Sara repeats the question, Evelyn says “hello” back, stunning her mother, who immediately sent the video to her family and friends. They were just as amazed as she was.

“It’s so lucky we caught it on camera”

“I was repeatedly saying ‘hello’ and you can see that she is really concentrating and trying to say something back,” Sara told The Sun. “That made me keep the recording going—I felt that it was a build-up to something and the expression on her face seemed like she was really thinking about it.”

“It’s so lucky we caught it on camera,” Evelyn’s dad James said. “It totally surprised and amazed us. We are so proud.”

“I was saying the word and it was the only thing I was saying, there is no doubt about it that she was definitely trying to say ‘hello’,” Sara added. “It’s definitely not a fluke.”

Now 15 weeks old, Evelyn amazing feats haven’t stopped at forming words. The precocious baby was rolling over at just three months (for most babies, this happens at 4 months at the earliest).

On the next page: learn how to encourage your baby to start talking.

Language is complex, and it could take a while for your baby to start forming words. According to BabyCenter, your child won’t be forming two- or three-word sentences until she’s 2 years old or even later. Here are some tips from Parents on encouraging your baby to start talking.

1. Start from day one

Just because you aren’t expecting your newborn to understand what you’re saying doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make efforts to talk to them. One study observed the preterm babies exposed to more words were more likely to make sounds of their own.

2. Pay attention to your baby’s cues

Observe what your baby stares at or reaches for and engage with him. Describe the object—talk about its size, color, what it does, and so forth. If you see your baby watching you, narrate to him what you’re doing. Your baby won’t understand exactly what you’re saying, but your responsiveness will encourage him to interact and communicate with you.

Photo: Fotolia

3. Read to your baby

When you read to your baby, plot isn’t the focus, but how share the experience. Cuddle with your baby as you flip through the pages and talk about the pictures. You don’t even have to stick to what’s written—by all means, make up the story as you go along.

4. Encourage back-and-forth dialogue

Letting your baby respond to you clues him in on how conversation works, and keeps his attention for longer than a monologue from you. Give your baby a chance to respond and answer him when he babbles.

5. Lessen screen time

Because television programming doesn’t have the back-and-forth that actual conversation has, TV can actually deter your baby’s language development. When it comes to language development, nothing comes close to social interaction.

READ: Baby communication: Why you should be paying attention to your baby’s first gestures

“My kid doesn’t want to smile”

Photo from: GIPHY

For a lot of parents, getting their babies to smile is a daunting task. I mean, who hasn’t experienced doing all sorts of weird facial expressions and funny sounds in an attempt to get their baby to smile for a photo?

We asked some parents and looked around on the internet for the best tips that you can use to make your baby smile, and here’s what we came up with:

1. Cuddle with your baby!

Photo from: GIPHY

Babies just love being cuddled! And one of the ways that they show it is by smiling or laughing! Cuddling and kissing your baby on the cheeks, or on the tummy is not only a way of getting a smile from your baby, but it’s also great for their development since they will feel more attached to you!

2. Use pets to your advantage!

via GIPHY

Kids love pets just as much as you! If you have some pets at home, letting them play with your baby a bit is another good way of making them smile. It also teaches them to care for animals and we’re sure that your pets will love playing with your baby too!

Go to the next page for more about baby smiles!

3. Sing to your baby!

Photo from: GIPHY

Minoli Almeida, mother of two, and a community manager for Tickled Media, told us that singing to your baby is a good way to make them smile! It’s also great for bonding with your child, and it also helps stimulate their hearing!

4. Make funny faces!

Photo from: GIPHY

Minoli gave us another great tip, she told us that making funny faces or telling funny stories for older babies are good ways of making them laugh. Though, make sure not to overdo the funny faces, especially when you’re outside, since other people might be the ones to start laughing at you!

Go to the next page for more tips on making your baby smile!

5. Peek-a-boo, I see you!

Photo from: GIPHY

“I get my son to smile by playing peek-a-boo. It works almost all of the time, but the only problem is that he has to be looking at me when i do it!”

-Marielle, mother of one.

That’s right! We even asked a few parents, and we’ve even tested this on some babies, and it does work! We guarantee that playing peek-a-boo with your baby is sure to make them smile; it’s almost magical.

You can try it for yourself, we’re sure that your baby won’t stop smiling!

6. Make your baby’s toys ‘talk’!

Photo from: GIPHY

Ruby Fernandez, mother of one and Senior Client Support for Tickled Media, shared a fun tip with us. She shared that using your baby’s stuffed toys and making them ‘talk’ is another sure-fire way of making your baby smile. She told us that her daughter Jachne always smiles when she does it!

7. Do anything weird!

Photo from: GIPHY

Ruby shares another awesome tip with us, just do anything weird! She said that doing anything weird usually makes kids laugh, so long as they’re in a good mood. Though, be prepared for funny looks from people once they see you doing weird things to make your kid laugh!

READ: Baby born with abnormally large tongue finally able to smile

Sources: parents.com, webmd.com, parents.com

Your baby’s first year may be full of tears—yours included—but this year will come and go before you know it. Here are some things you should definitely do with your baby before they turn one year old, as compiled from Romper, Fit Pregnancy, and Babble.

1. Babywear

Now’s the time to get the most out of your baby sling/carrier. You won’t be able to wear your baby like this forever. Cherish the months when all you had to do was swaddle your baby up in a sling to get him to zonk out blissfully on your chest.

before baby turns 1

2. Dress them in an adorable costume

Sure, you’ll still be able to dress your child in cute costumes in the future, but there’s just something extra cute about small babies in costume. Make the most of these years—it won’t be long before your baby won’t be as obliging with your little whims.

3. Show your baby the world

If you can, go traveling with your baby. Though she probably won’t remember any of your travels, it can be much easier to travel with a baby than with a toddler, so now’s your chance to see the sights with the least complications possible. It’ll give you that boost of positivity that you’ll need when

On the next page: read about more things parents should do before their baby turns a year old.

4. Record videos

It’s a given that you’d be taking a lot of photos, but record videos as well, and record plenty. Don’t just record the big moments. Record the small, everyday things. Your baby’s laugh and cry. Bath times. Feeding times. Funny faces and reactions. These moments may be fleeting, but at least you’ll be able to relive them later.

Photo: Dreamstime

5. Build your family bond

This first year will serve as your family’s transitional period, whether you already have kids or not. It’s easy to get lost in to-do lists and the different demands that come with welcoming a baby into your home, but don’t succumb to stress. Take time to work on your family’s bond by creating traditions and celebrating your family’s new identity.

6. Journal

Sure, you’re taking a lot of videos and photos, but those alone can’t capture everything. And while a journal can’t do exactly that, a journal can help you remember how you feel right now. Keeping a journal will also help you process your emotions and memories and make sense of what’s going on with your life. Maybe one day, when your child is older, you can even share this journal with her.

READ: Having trouble making your baby smile? Here are some sure-fire tips!

When I was a rookie mom and my first child turned one, a particularly concerned acquaintance kept asking me, "so, is he talking yet?". And every time she asked me this question, my mumbled reply was, "no, not yet".

As the months went by, I started to get really worried. The only 'proper' words he said were 'da' (this could have meant 'dog' or 'dad' - who knows) and 'ammi' (that would be me) and a few more. But the majority of his speech was made up of 'baby talk' or babbling as it is known. This went on until he was a little over two years old, of course more frequently interspersed with 'proper' words.

Now, I know better. I really shouldn't have been so worried back then, because babbling, or baby talk, is a perfectly normal part of a child's development, and with some little ones, it goes on for longer than for others.

So, if your little one is babbling merrily away and you are starting to worry about when he will really start to talk, here is some great information for you to understand exactly how his babbling is actually helping him with language development.

Not nonsense

"Dad-dad ba ba ba baaa, mum-mum..."

While babbling may often sound like a string of nonsensical utterances, it's actually not. Research shows that baby talk is a really important component of language development. But in order to optimize this aspect of speech development, there is one other very important element: your response to baby.

In the past, parents were often told to talk to their babies using regular adult speech. However, current research has found that when babbling is prompted and responded to with 'Parentese' - the exaggerated and highly animated style of speech parents use to talk to their baby - the result is most likely better language acquisition skills.

The encouragement of babbling has also been found to help bridge the 'word gap', which is the term used to indicate the difference in speech and language development between babies at opposite ends of the socio-economic spectrum.

So babies from higher income families are thought to develop language and speech at a faster pace because their parents are highly responsive to their babbling. This is the opposite for little ones of lower income families, for a variety of reasons.

Maintain eye contact and smile while talking to your baby.

How you talk to your baby matters

Ramírez-Esparza, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, and her colleagues in UConn’s Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, led a study on early language development in little ones in 2015.

What they discovered was that the style of speech parents use, as well as the social context within which this speech takes place, is more effective at helping a baby's vocabulary grow than the quantity of words used.

Twenty-six babies (around one year of age) took part in the study. They wore vests containing audio recorders that collected sounds from their auditory environment for eight hours a day for four days.

Researchers analyzed the recorded speech and when the babies were two years old, parents filled out a questionnaire measuring how many words their children knew. It was found that babies who had heard more baby talk knew more words.

"What our study shows is that how you talk to children matters,” Ramírez-Esparza says, “and the use of ‘parentese’ is much better at developing language than regular adult speech. It’s even better if communication occurs during one-on-one interactions.”

Here are some of the most important findings of the study, summarized for you:

Encourage your baby's babbling by using exaggerated vowels in your Parentese. For example, "How are youuuu?" and "Look at thaaaaat!".
Raise the pitch of your voice when talking to your little one to encourage more babbling from him in response.
Whenever possible, 'talk' to your baby when no distractions (other kids, adults) are around.
Talk to your baby using Parentese as frequently as possible, even though you might feel a little silly doing so!
Use Parentese with a happy tone of voice, and while going about day-to-day activities, e.g. "Yum, this tastes so goooood!" or "Let's find your shoooes!".
Read aloud to your baby whenever you can in order to ensure heightened communication.

Other than these tips, encourage your baby's speech development by:

Imitating his babbling,
Making eye contact when he's babbling to you,
Pointing out and verbalising noises: "Listen, that doggy is saying 'WOOOF, WOOOF!'"
Not worrying about sounding silly or not using 'real' words.

Moms and dads, do keep in mind that speech delay in kids may be a red flag for other developmental issues. If you suspect this, speak to a doctor without delay.

This article ends with this adorable video of twins babbling! Enjoy!

READ: 25 Words your toddler should know by age 2

Green, yellow, red and black - these are just a few of the colors your baby's poop could be! How can you decipher this poopy rainbow? With our handy guide, of course!

Of the many milestones parents look forward to marking with their kids, hearing them utter their first words could quite possibly be the cutest! But the journey to this is even more adorable as babies start to babble. According to Dr. Joselyn Eusebio of of University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC), babies normally start babbling at 6 months of age.

"At 8 months, they are expected to mutter things like 'dada' and 'mama'," she tells theAsianparent Philippines. "So, the development of language should follow this sequence: at 1 year old, babies should know at least three words. Once they hit 18 months, it should be 10 words and at 2 years old, they should already be forming short phrases. Finally, at three years of age, they should be able to communicate in a complete simple sentence."

Parents should encourage babbling and nurture their curiosity, she says, as it boosts a child's development.

"As a child is exposed to new things, the child will tend to ask the parents questions, like "mom what is that?" if he sees a dog. 'What is the sound of the dog?', this back and forth is so important in language and cognitive development," Dr. Eusebio further emphasized.

We wondered what real parents had to say about this adorable part of language development. Over on ParentTown, a Q&A platform and community for parents, one user asked her fellow moms and dads about their babies' first words.

screenshot: ParentTown

Nooraini D.'s little one was right on schedule, as he started to babble at exactly 6 months. "Mine has been saying 'mama' for a couple of weeks now! Especially if I put him down and walk away, he will go 'mama' in his most pitiful voice as if I was never coming back. So adorable!"

As for dad of three BoonCheong, hearing his daughter shout 'papa' at 7 months made him so proud.

screenshot: ParentTown

Mom Jamie K. is not 100% sure if she already heard her little one's first word. "Mine actually said 'mama a few weeks ago, but I'm pretty sure it was part of her babbling. She has also made sounds which resembled "parrot", "squirrel" and "papa". Of course, I'll only recognize her first actual word when she repeats it with meaning. Other than that, I'll treat it as babbling in preparation for the actual thing!" she wrote.

"My baby's first word was 'mama' when he was 6 months old. But he stopped saying that unless he cries for me. Usually he says 'papa' and 'mom mom'," wrote mom Emeris P. who also offered some advice. "The best way to help your baby say his first word is by talking to him frequently."

How about you moms and dads? What were your baby's first words? Share them in the comments below!

READ: Baby talk: The importance of babbling for baby’s language development

Babies are cute, there's no doubt about it. But, these 7 amazing baby milestones are just the cutest that you'll ever see! Better get your camera ready to capture these special moments!

1. Holding their head up

At about 1 month old, your baby would start to lift their head up and look around. This milestone is very important as it helps them build up their neck, arm, and chest muscles.

This milestone also sets your baby up for other milestones such as rolling, or trying to sit up. So this is a really important time in your baby's life!

2. Laughing

Babies usually start laughing or giggling at around 3 months, but sometimes it can happen as early as the first month!

A baby's laughter is truly wonderful, since it usually means that they're happy, so they won't be crying a lot! But seriously, this means that your baby is developing pretty well, and they're starting to observe things and developing a sense of humor.

You can try making your baby laugh by doing silly faces or making funny sounds.

3. Sleeping soundly through the night

Yeah, this is actually a milestone! And a very welcome one, especially for parents with kids who cry a lot. Sleeping through the night means that your baby's body clock has now settled a bit, and they're now able to sleep while you're sleeping. This also means less feedings during the middle of the night!

4. Pulling themselves to stand up

At around 9 months, babies usually start to pull themselves to try and stand up. This is another significant milestone because it means that your baby will soon start trying to walk by themselves!

This is also a time to keep a careful eye on your kid, as they might accidentally fall down if their legs can't support their weight yet. So make sure to always be by your baby's side.

5. Walks without any help

At 12 months, your child will start taking their first steps. However, some kids do this earlier, at around 9 months, or a bit later. There's no need to worry since babies learn at different paces.

Now, your baby is starting to become more independent, and soon you'll be chasing them around your house! It's a really fun experience, and you'll be happy to finally have your little one running around at home!

6. Starts saying their first word

Right around the time your child starts to walk would be the time that they start to say their first words. They'll start slow, but once they get used to saying words, they'll say it more often, and it gets clearer each time.

They'll also start to understand the words that you say, and they'll respond when you call their name.

7. Says "mama" and "dada" correctly

By the time your child says their first word, they should also start saying "mama" and "dada" to the correct person. Though sometimes, kids start saying "mama" and "dada" by the time they're 15 months old, so it really does vary depending on the child.

The important thing is to speak clearly to your baby, and talk to them constantly so that the can try and imitate what you're saying.

Source: babygaga.com

READ: When your kid says, “I hate you, mommy” and other milestones no one prepared you for!

As your baby turns a year old, they begin to learn and grow even more; this includes forming the foundations of speech from which they will communicate for the rest of their lives. Though adorable, babbling has an even more important purpose in your little one's life. At this stage, they begin to understand common phrases along with directions they usually hear from mommy and daddy.

From 12 months on, parents can expect to see exciting changes in the way their baby expresses herself: grunts and babbles evolve into single words or more.

"At 8 months, they are expected to mutter things like 'dada' and 'mama'," Dr. Joselyn Eusebio of of University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC), tells theAsianparent Philippines. "So, the development of language should follow this sequence: at 1 year old, babies should be able to say at least three words. Once they hit 18 months, it should be 10 words and at 2 years old, they should already be forming short phrases. Finally, at three years of age, they should be able to communicate in a complete simple sentence."

It's also normal for babies aged 12 to 16 months to mix up meanings of certain words, underextending or overextending them. For instance, if you take your baby to a zoo, they refer to a horse as a "dog," in favor of what they normally see at home.

According to Dr. Eusebio, babbling should be encouraged as it nurtures curiosity and boosts development.

But what of the words they understand? Let's first take a closer look at receptive vocabulary.

Receptive vocabulary: Words they know at every stage

At 12 months, your baby ideally understands up to 50 words, according to PBS.org. During this time they can also be able to name objects nearby. At 14 to 15 months, they tend to point at objects farther away, as if seeking mommy or daddy's help to name them. Once they hit 15 months, the number increases to 120 words. Between 12 to 15 months, they learn about one word a day. A month later, at 16 months, they can recognize 170 words.

When they turn 18 months, they are normally able to recognize and respond to 200 or more words.

Parents should also take note of a language "spurt" that typically occurs between 16 and 23 months of age. During this time, 1 to 2 words are acquired per day. They can be nouns (bottle, milk, blanket), pronouns (me, you, mine), prepositions (in, below, above), verbs (kiss, sleep, open), or descriptions (cold, hot, broken).

They comprehend simple phrases and directions

One-year-olds are able to understand phrases commonly used, like "Do you want more?", "Kiss mama" , "Say bye bye!" They can also follow simple instructions, like, "Don't touch!" "Sit down" or "Don't move." They can also understand simple explanations, granted that it refers to typical situations, like forbidding them to put something they picked up off of the floor in their mouths.

What about distinguishing their native language from a foreign one?

At 12 months old, your baby is able to perceive speech sounds in their native tongue. It's important to note that babies are more capable of distinguishing other languages at 6 months of age. Their ability to differentiate from languages also decreases as they age.

They can tell when someone is mad or excited

Simply going by the pitch and intonation of your voice, your baby can already determine if your tone is positive or negative. They can also tell if they're being asked a question, depending on the lilting or intonation at the end of statements.

They adorably struggle with pronunciation until age 2

Mommy, daddy, and nanny will often find themselves having to "translate" what baby is saying. They rarely manage to pronounce words with perfect diction, which is a natural stage of development.

They start to experiment with words and sounds

Once your baby is 18 months, they can already communicate using single words. They may even mix up the sounds and tone to better show what they mean, this includes experimenting with word combinations to string them together and form phrases and sentences. For instance, "Mommy hungry?" is how they would ask, "Is mommy hungry already". Or, "Daddy work" typically means "Is daddy going to work?"

Adorable, right? Moms and dads, savor each word and phrase your little one says and take care of how you communicate with them as they grow. We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!

READ: 25 Words your toddler should know by age 2

Across many Asian cultures, it's a common belief passed from mum to mum: shaving your baby's hair will make it grow longer and thicker.

Many Singapore mums swear by the importance of shaving to make way for healthier, silkier tresses. My own mum has often regaled me with tales of how ugly my newborn hair was (complete with photo evidence). At a few months old, what little fuzz I had was thin and patchy until she took me to the hairdresser's.

Old wives' tale—or truth?

So is this cultural practice backed up by science? The bald answer: no.

The texture of your baby's hair is genetically predetermined from birth, according to Leonica Kei, director and senior trichologist at Singapore's Philip Kingsley Trichological Centre. Babies are born already possessing all the hair follicles they will ever have.

Simply put, hair follicles are pockets of cells beneath the scalp surface which produce hair. The size of the follicles determines the thickness of your baby's hair — the bigger the follicle, the thicker the hair strand.

The number of follicles, on the other hand, determines how much hair your child will have. The higher the number of follicles, the more hairs possible to be formed.

Shaving, of course, doesn't change the hair follicles rooted in your bub's scalp. This mean it's your genes, not shaving, that can take credit for your child's gorgeous tresses later on.

In fact, experts advise that parents might want to delay shaving their babies' heads, for fear of injury. "A baby's scalp is very tender," Kei says. "The top of his head, called the fontanelle, is especially soft because his skull bones have not fully knitted together."

Why your baby's hair looks different at first

There are good reasons why your newborn's hair doesn't quite look its best. Babies start off with vellus hair, explains Kei, which is "short, fine and poorly pigmented". By the time your tot reaches two, this early hair will have been replaced by lush, mature terminal hair.

Another common worry that mums have is uneven or patchy hair. Infant hair loss may be the culprit in this case, and it's a natural part of baby development, according to LIVESTRONG. This balding may happen due to hormonal changes and can last up to 6 months.

If your baby's balding is occurring in spots, this may also be caused by sleeping and sitting positions. According to experts, babies who rub the back of their head against a baby seat or mattress often lose hair in that spot.

To reduce hair loss from too much time spent in the same position, you are advised to give the little ones more tummy time. Alternatively, you can switch up which end of the cot you lay your baby's head during sleeptime.

Though you should consult a doctor if you're concerned about your baby's hair growth, there's usually no need for you to do much but let nature run its course. Meanwhile, enjoy your little one's adorable hairdo, tufts, thin hair and all!

Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore