During pregnancy, your baby receives DHA from you through the placenta. Transfer of DHA from mom to baby is greatest during the third trimester, a period of rapid development for the brain and nervous system. After birth, breastfed infants continue to receive DHA through their mother’s milk.

The potential benefits of a diet rich in DHA during pregnancy and while breastfeeding have been under investigation for many years. Studies comparing infants born prematurely with full-term infants have found that preterm infants tend to have lower DHA levels as well as delayed visual and cognitive development. Other studies looking at breastfed babies versus formula-fed babies (most formulas do not contain DHA) have found that breast-fed infants tend to have better visual acuity early in life.

DHA supplements are widely available. Some brands though, such as Nutrition for Two’s Vitrel-3, claim their active ingredient is “cervonic acid.” Cervonic acid is simply another name for DHA. These companies use the different name though to charge you twice as much for the same product.

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are encouraged to pay special attention to their diets to ensure an adequate consumption of foods rich in DHA. It is never too early to start helping your baby’s eyesight develop properly.

Cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel and whitefish, are our best dietary sources of DHA. Indiscriminate consumption of fish, however, is not recommended for pregnant women. This is because many of our streams and oceans are contaminated with mercury, which can be harmful to a developing nervous system. While nearly all fish contain trace amounts of mercury, long-lived, larger fish that feed on other fish accumulate the highest levels and pose the greatest risk to people who eat them regularly. For these reasons, the Food and Drug Administration recommends that pregnant women or those thinking of becoming pregnant avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. The FDA has determined that up to 12 ounces per week (3 ounces is a normal serving size) of other cooked fish is safe for pregnant and nursing women. A good substitute for women who choose not to eat fish are DHA-enriched eggs now available in many stores.

For the infant, breast milk is an excellent source of essential fatty acids, including DHA. While infant formulas supplemented with DHA and AA have been available for several years in countries throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Latin America, they have not been allowed in infant formulas sold in the United States until recently. Currently, there are two brands of infant formula on the market in the United States that are supplemented with DHA and these can cost 10 percent to 20 percent more than regular formulas.

For many women, an easy way to be sure you’re getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin with folic acid in it. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women who could possibly become pregnant get 400 micrograms (or 0.4 milligrams) of folic acid every day. This could prevent up to 70% of some types of serious birth defects. But to do this, women need folic acid before they get pregnant. That’s why you should always get enough folic acid every day even if you’re not thinking about a baby any time soon. Folic acid has been added to some foods, such as enriched breads, pastas, rice, and cereals. A few cereals have 100 percent of the folic acid you need.

No one expects an unplanned pregnancy. But they happen – every day. In fact, about half of all pregnancies are not planned. That’s why you should get enough folic acid every day if there’s any chance you could get pregnant. Because by the time you know you’re pregnant, your baby’s brain and spine are already formed.

Folic Acid Now. So your body’s ready when you are.

Brought to you by the U.S. Center of Disease Control. Date last reviewed: 09/25/2003

There is a chore in my home that brings out the procrastinator in me. This particular chore is so big and so difficult, that I create new tasks just to avoid starting the dreaded job. What could be so bad: My toddler’s bedroom – a.k.a. fighting the battle of ‘too many toys!’

The problem doesn’t arrive from a lack of organization or space to put things, but from just too many toys in the first place. His room, when tidy, looks like a little toy store gone mad. My husband built custom shelving just for the toys and books, with varying shelf sizes to accommodate different types of toys and sizes of books. However, when I take a close look at the contents, it’s obvious that there’s lots of ‘stuff’, but little thought went into most of it.

How should you select and organize your child’s toys? Choosing quality kids’ toys, selected by their developmental stage and abilities, is the first step. Most toys have a recommended age on the package to let you know the appropriate age group. Take cues from you own child to guide you in whether he is ready for a certain toy.

Make sure that the toys you’re buying actually “do” what they are supposed to. If puzzle pieces aren’t cut correctly, your child will get angry and frustrated when they play with it. I’ve recently made the mistake of buying a puzzle that was supposed to be appropriate for ages 18 months to 3 years, only to find that the pieces were very difficult to place, and my son became upset every time he played with the puzzle.

Some suggestions for Toddler and Preschool Toys

• Puppets
• Activity tables/centers
• Sorting boxes
• Snap together Blocks – Leggos
• Puzzles – up to 5 wooden pieces
• Figures for dollhouse, farm, etc.
• Dress up clothes
• Trucks and wagons to haul things
• Housekeeping and shopping toys
• Sewing cards
• Buttoning, zipping, snapping dolls or boards
• Preschool age games like Memory and Candy land etc.

Most importantly, choose toys that stimulate your child’s mind and that create learning experiences. Provide an adequate amount of toys for your child. Don’t do as I have and overwhelm your child with too much ‘stuff’ causing both of you to become frustrated. As we all know, most little kids have a more fun playing with the box the toy came in while the new toy sits idly on the floor. Now it’s time for me to stop procrastinating and fight the battle of ‘too many toys.’

About the Author
Sherry Frewerd is a WAHM to three and is a licensed child care provider. Visit her website, ‘Family Play and Learn’ for fun and creative activities and resources for your Toddler and Preschool age child. http://familyplayandlearn.com.

What I am trying to say is that winter blues or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as we call it is a year-round thing, depending on where you are. SAD is a not-very-well-understood but definitely existing psychiatric condition characterized by depressive symptoms during the long, dark, winter months. SAD is said to affect about 2 to 5% of people in the US alone. Other SAD symptoms include:

Moodiness
Lethargy, e.g. chronic fatigue and need for more sleep
Cravings for carbohydrates that easily lead to weight gain, the so-called “winter fat.”

SAD has two main characteristics:

It is seasonal.
SAD is observed in the winter time when the days are short, and daylight minimal. The symptoms usually start with the onset of autumn, peak in midwinter January when people get over the holiday mood, but resolve as soon as the sun stays a bit longer in spring.

It is geographic.
The incidence of SAD increases as one moves northward (or southward, depending on where you are). In other words, the risk and incidence of SAD is higher in higher latitudes where sunshine is practically non-existent in the winter time and the day basically consists of 24/7 of night time. It is no wonder the suicide rates are very high in winter time in these regions. In addition to the short daylight hours, winter gloominess can also be worsened by fogs and low clouds, something that you get when living close to big lakes like in Switzerland or Scotland. On the other hand, SAD incidence is practically non-existent in the tropics where winter is unheard of.

So how do we fight SAD (isn’t this abbreviation so fitting!)? Here are a few tips to help you through the winter blues:

Go outdoors.
The cure for SAD may just be outside your front door. Take advantage of the short daylight by going out late morning till early afternoon. Have you ever noticed how the snow make everything seems lighter even on the gloomiest day? Make a midday walk a daily routine. You get sunlight, vitamin D, and physical exercise.

Go somewhere bright and light.
If you have the time and the money, then follow the birds and go south (or north), even if only for a couple of days. Those of you living in the US don’t even have to go out of the country. A weekend in southern California or Florida would do just fine. Here in Switzerland, we always get daily information as to which is the closest hilltop or mountaintop to go to in order to escape the lowland fog and low clouds. You’d be surprised at the difference in visibility once you are over the clouds. The sun up there can be blinding.

Make your place as light as possible.
If you don’t have the money for a tropical, sunny vacation, then try making your home as light as possible. White walls are best in keeping a room light and airy. But if you don’t have them and you don’t feel like (understandably!) painting in midwinter, there are other things you can do. Open the curtains, blinds, shutters, drapes or whatever you have on your windows at daytime. Turn on the lights even if it’s daytime. You’d be surprised how dark it is indoors even with artificial light. Indoor illumination is approximately 500 lux. Try taking a picture with your camera. The flash automatically goes on!

Lighten up your clothes.
It’s not only the dark walls and the gloomy rooms that can affect your mood. It strikes me as strange that we tend to dress in dark, drab colors in winter time. Black maybe chic but it’s not the time to make a fashion statement. A little color on yourself could really cheer you up as well as others around you.

Use artificial light.
If you cannot have natural light, then go for the artificial type. Health experts at UC Davis recommend artificial light therapy for those with serious cases of SAD. The standard light therapy equipment is a TV-sized light box with fluorescent bulbs behind a protective filter. The box would emit between 2,500 to 10,000 lux, which is equivalent to the outdoor light at dawn or at dusk. SAD treatment consists of standing in front of the light box between 15 minutes to 2 hours every day and is said to be work better and faster than drugs. The box can be bought or rented.

Medications.
In cases where light therapy alone doesn’t help, the treatment can also be combined with anti-depressants. The drug Prozac seems to work best against SAD, according to the UC Davis experts. However, consult your doctor before taking any anti-depressants.

Choose fiber-rich carbs.
You may not be able to ignore those cravings for carbohydrates any longer. Make sure you go for the carbohydrates rich in fibers: whole grain bread and crackers, whole grain, sugar-free cereals, even whole grain pasta.

Keep a regular sleeping pattern.
If you give in to frequent daytime napping, you will end up not sleeping well at night. Keeping a regular night time sleeping pattern is the best way to avoid sleep disturbances.

Author: Science-Mom

For babies under a year, it is probable that they won’t understand the whole “gift giving” idea or even be able to figure out how to unwrap a present on their own. They won’t care if there is a rattle, a gym, or a new outfit under the tree. If this is your baby then buy things that YOU need and that will help your baby developmentally, or clothing for the upcoming season. Wrap up these items so that they are under the tree so that your baby has gifts on Christmas morning, but that they are things he really needs. After all, he won’t know the difference. For the toys and other educational items you do buy your baby you need to be sure that you look at the age guidelines and recommendations so that you know you are choosing the right toy for your child.

For the young kids, they will be more prone to looking at the ornaments and lights on the tree, or decorations up around your house. Walk him around letting him see the lights, touch the non-fragile decorations, and enjoy the material part of the holidays. It is never too early to start holiday traditions with your baby.

If your baby is between a year and two years old, it is possible that he can unwrap his presents, but depending on his age he may still not “get it” when it comes to the holidays and presents. At this point he is still young enough that you can take him shopping with you and let him help you pick out his gifts by him showing you items he would like someday. Chances are he will forget that you bought them by the time he unwraps them.

Good gift ideas for your toddler can include a wide range of items

• Board books
• Puzzles (the ones with big, thick pieces)
• Coloring books/crayons (if he is no longer sticking them in his mouth)
• Desk/Table of his own (for him to sit at to color, do puzzles or read)
• Little fold out couch of his favorite theme (these range from Superman to Dora and everything in between)
• Leap Pad items for brain development
• Dress up clothes for creative development

These are just a few ideas of items you can buy your toddler that will help him grow and learn, while keeping him entertained. There is always the option of buying every new toy on the market during the holidays for your baby, and if you can and you choose too that is ok too! Remember that as hectic as the holidays are for you, they will be overwhelming for your young child so be sure to give them a lot of time and space to rest and regroup so that you don’t have an unhappy toddler on your hands after presents are unwrapped and it is time to sit down for Christmas dinner.

When it comes to buying items, including toys and clothes, for your grandchild, one of the first steps that you should take is speak with your son or daughter. When it comes to new babies, many parents are overrun with toys, gifts, and clothes. In fact, did you know that many newborns don’t even have the chance to wear all of their new clothes? This is just one of the many reasons why you may want to ask before you buy. This is unless, of course, your purchases are intended to be surprises.

Seeking a list of needed items for your new grandchild is ideal, especially if your purchases will be sent home with them. With that in mind, you will find that you have a little bit more freedom with items that will be staying in your own home. Perhaps, it is first important to cover the necessity bases. These are items that you will need to have in your home, should your grandchild regularly visit for extended periods of time. Items that all newborns and infants need include diapers, baby wipes, food, an extra bottle or sippy cup, and a few changes of clothes.

Once you have purchased the items that will be, without a doubt, needed for when your grandchild comes for a visit, you may want to focus on the extras. These are items, such as toys, that you don’t necessarily need to own, but can benefit from having on hand. It is always a good idea to purchase a number of toys for your grandchild. These toys do not have to be large in size or expensive in price. Traditional building blocks and stacking toys are great for newborns and infants, as well as board books, which are strong and durable.

The above mentioned items are just a few of the many that you will want to look into buying for your new grandchild. As a reminder, unless you will be taking on the role of childcare provider, a simple drawer full of clothes, toys, and other needed supplies should be enough items to have for your grandchild at your home.

The first thing you want to look for when choosing a toy for your baby is the age on the box that it says the toy is for. Most toys made by companies like Fisher Price, Sesame and others will have ages listed on their boxes. These will either be a general age like “0-6 Months” or a minimum age like “6+”. These ages let you know if the toy might be too difficult for your baby to figure out, or in some cases a toy might have pieces that are too small for your baby to play with and could be hurtful to him. In most cases you should never buy a toy for your baby that is not appropriate for his age.

The next thing to consider is if your baby really needs a toy. Yes, a pumpkin rattle may be adorable, but if Jr. already has 5 rattles, does he really need this new one? How many teething toys, stuffed animals or what-not does your baby need? Some things your baby will need while some he won’t, and if you don’t feel he needs it, your money could be spent better elsewhere on something he DOES need.

It is important to think of safety when choosing toys. Does the toy have any sharp edges on it that could hurt your baby, or any small pieces that he could break off, or fall off that he could try to put in his mouth? Is the toy big enough that he can’t fit it into his mouth? Stay away from toys that have things sewn on them, or button eyes which are glued on and can easily pop off. It will be a while before your baby won’t try to put everything in his mouth and you don’t want to give him anything that he could eventually choke on.

You should also think about whether or not a toy will stimulate your baby’s mind at all and help him learn. Many toys out there are made with the purpose of helping your child recognize words, animals, and encourage them to use coordination and tap into their cause and effect as well as critical thinking skills. Pick toys that will help your baby learn and encourage their brain to grow.

Where will your child be using the toys? There are many areas in your child’s life that will call for a wide arrange of toys or a specialized toy. At home in the living room you can use most toys, big or small, of all shapes and sizes. However you can’t take these toys in the bath normally. Once your baby is old enough to play with toys in the bath, you should have some water toys for your baby to help keep him entertained. If your baby can have fun in the bath he will learn to love his baths making your job easier down the road. There are also smaller toys designed for car seats and being on the go that you can invest in to help keep your outings more enjoyable, not only for your baby, but also for the whole family.

You don’t always have to spend money to find a great toy for your baby. A baby can be entertained by items you have laying around the house. Old plastic cups and plates can keep your baby entertained for hours. Pots and pans, along with a wooden spoon can allow your baby to make his own noise, err music, keeping everyone in the house singing and dancing. You can tie an old shirt or a dish cloth in a knot and play tug of war with it with your baby. Use your imagination, keeping safety in mind, and toys around the house will begin to pop up everywhere.

Sign language has been the language of the deaf and mute for hundreds of years. It is the way that those who can not communicate with words, communicate with their loved ones and the rest of the world. It only makes sense that you could learn some simple sign language and teach it to your baby as a way to allow him to communicate with you, before he is able to form the words that he needs.

There are a few tips to remember and get started with when it comes to learning to sign with your baby. They are basic and will almost guarantee you success.

One Sign at a Time
Choose one sign to begin with and make it one you will use often. Many parents choose milk, more, eat, drink or a favorite toy. Repeating these easy signs until your baby catches on is a great place to start and a great way to get your baby accustomed to the signing.

Show Your Child
Show your child the sign when talking about an activity as well as when you are doing the activity. Make sure you are repeating yourself as often as possible so that your baby can see what you are doing and start associating the action with the sign.

Repeat the Sign
Use the sign before, during, and after the activity. Repeat it every time you do it more than once and your baby will quickly pick up on the relationship between that sign and what you are doing. Soon he will be able to mimic you and do the sign as well.

Wait Until Your Baby Signs Back
In order to not confuse your baby, use one sign until your baby begins to sign back to you. Once he is correctly communicating that need with you, you can choose another sign and start the process over again. The more your baby learns, the easier it will be for him to pick up a new one.

Have Fun
Signing with your baby can be a lot of fun. Not only will it make communicating easier, but it can make dinner time quieter since your baby can make the sign for milk or for more when he is hungry or thirsty. You are sure to get a lot of comments at restaurants about how quiet your baby is and about what a good boy he is. This will in part be because your baby can easily communicate with you to make his needs known.

To have the most rewards from playing with Music and the baby, follow these simple ideas:

• Young children tune in to the sounds of music;�
   
• Their body movements also manifest happiness through music spontaneity;
• The baby may acquire musical concepts by playing with sounds, singing, moving, and listening; 
• Experiencing music is a chance a baby has at pre-verbal learning;
• The baby should be encouraged to use his body as a musical instrument for physical experience;
• The child learns music by personal experience and discovery. It’s necessary to promote positive effective growth, using success as a motivating factor;
• Knowing by perception of oral images and movement is the basis of music expression;
• The baby is only able to find the meaning of music when he acts on a piece of music;
• The discovery of her own movements and environment enables the baby to form concepts and function to order his inner musical world;
• The baby shows s/he has musical concept without verbalizing it when s/he displays consistent response to a certain class of stimuli;

When choosing locomotion, you can experiment with walking, running, jumping, hopping, lunging, galloping, and skipping. The movements to the music can reflect energy, speed, and dimension, level in space, flow, and direction.

When choosing to use the voice, you can play low, high, somewhere in between. The voice can be loud, soft, somewhere in between. Playing with the sounds, one can stop immediately, last a long time, keep sounding, and get louder or softer. In order to make melodies, your voice can go up or down with different shapes, in steps with wider spaces, by sliding. It can be jerky, you can sing words, hum, whistle, go tra-la-la, go oo-oo-oo, or sound sad and lonely. You can do what you want with your voice, and the baby will profit from your actions.

You can use the drum, the rhythm sticks, the tambourine, the triangle, the melody bells, the piano, and the guitar to stimulate your baby in order to have precocious experience with music.

Improvise, choose a song and sing it with the baby, and play music games with the baby (examples: Statues, marching, ‘Contrary Mary’, ‘Follow the Leader’, ‘either-or’, play what I play, etc.).

No matter how simple or complex the activity, play with music with your baby. S/he will love it and you will both have fun and benefit from it!

About the Author:
Dr. Eliane Leao is a native of Brazil, South America. She has a background in Education from Purdue University (Masters) and a PhD in the Department of Educational Psychology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)/Purdue University (Ph.D.). Dr. Leao has also three Bachelor’s degrees, one in Piano, another in Musical Education, and a third in Voice. Dr. Leao is currently a professor of Music Education and Music Therapy conducting research on the influence of Music in Early Childhood Learning. Visit her website for more information on Babies and Reading, Music, and Learning and for a Free Ebook on these subjects at www.baby-can-read.com.

Besides the fact that they were built to do so, there are a great many reasons why infants need to move. The truth is, even though their movement capabilities are extremely limited when compared with even those of a toddler, movement experiences may be more important for infants than for children of any other age group. And it’s not all about motor development either.

Thanks to new insights in brain research, we now know that early movement experiences are considered essential to the neural stimulation (the “use-it-or-lose-it” principle involved in the keeping or pruning of brain cells ) needed for healthy brain development.

Not long ago, neuroscientists believed that the structure of a human brain was genetically determined at birth. They now realize that although the main “circuits” are “prewired” (for such functions as breathing and the heartbeat), the experiences that fill each child’s days are what actually determine the brain’s ultimate design and the nature and extent of that child’s adult capabilities.

An infant’s brain, it turns out, is chock-full of brain cells (neurons) at birth. (In fact, a one-pound fetus already has 100 billion of them!) Over time, each of these brain cells can form as many as 15,000 connections (synapses) with other brain cells. And it is during the first three years of life that most of these connections are made. Synapses not used often enough are eliminated. On the other hand, those synapses that have been activated by repeated early experiences tend to become permanent. And it appears that physical activity and play during early childhood have a vital role in the sensory and physiological stimulation that results in more synapses.

Neurophysiologist Carla Hannaford, in her excellent book, Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head, states: “Physical movement, from earliest infancy and throughout our lives, plays an important role in the creation of nerve cell networks which are actually the essence of learning.”

She then goes on to relate how movement, because it activates the neural wiring throughout the body, makes the entire body — not just the brain — the instrument of learning.

Gross and fine motor skills are learned through repetition as well — both by virtue of being practiced and because repetition lays down patterns in the brain. Although it hasn’t been clearly determined that such early movements as kicking, waving the arms, and rocking on hands and knees are “practice” for later, more advanced motor skills, it’s believed that they are indeed part of a process of neurological maturation needed for the control of motor skills. In other words, these spontaneous actions prepare the child – physically and neurologically – to later perform more complex, voluntary actions.

Then, once the child is performing voluntary actions (for example, rolling over, creeping, and walking), the circle completes itself, as these skills provide both glucose (the brain’s primary source of energy) and blood flow (“food”) to the brain, in all likelihood increasing neuronal connections.

According to Rebecca Anne Bailey and Elsie Carter Burton, authors of The Dynamic Self: Activities to Enhance Infant Development, whenever babies move any part of their bodies, there exists the potential for two different kinds of learning to occur: learning to move and moving to learn.

Still, recent evidence indicates that infants are spending upward of 60 waking hours a week in things – high chairs, carriers, car seats, and the like!

The reasons for this trend are varied. Part of the problem is that more and more infants are being placed in childcare centers, where there may not be enough space to let babies roam the floor. Or, given the number of infants enrolled, there may be little opportunity for caregivers to spend one-on-one time with each baby. This means, in the morning, an infant is typically fed, dressed, and then carried to the automobile, where she’s placed in a car seat. She’s then carried into the childcare center, where she may spend much of her time in a crib or playpen. At the end of the day, she’s picked up, placed again into the car seat, and carried back into the house, where she’s fed, bathed, and put to bed.

Even when parents are home with baby, they seem to be busier than ever these days. Who has time to get on the floor and creep around with a child? Besides, with today’s emphasis on being productive, playing with a baby would seem almost a guilty pleasure! And if the baby seems happy and safe in a seat placed conveniently in front of the TV, in a bouncer hung in a doorway, or cruising about in a walker, then what’s the harm? It’s a win/win situation, isn’t it?

In fact, it isn’t. Being confined (as one colleague says: “containerized”) affects a baby’s personality; they need to be held. It may also have serious consequences for the child’s motor – and cognitive – development.

Other trends in today’s society having an impact on infants’ opportunities to move are the inclination to restrict, rather than encourage, freedom of movement and the misguided belief that early academic instruction will result in superbabies. (In 1999, 770,000 copies of infant software – “lapware” – were sold!)

Humans are meant to move and play. The inclination – the need – is hardwired into them. Babies, in fact, spend nearly half of their waking time – 40% – doing things like kicking, bouncing, and waving their arms. And while it may appear all this activity is just for the sake of moving, it’s important to realize a baby is never “just moving” or “just playing.” Every action extends the child’s development in some way.

About the Author:
Rae Pica is a children’s movement specialist and author of Your Active Child: How to Boost Physical, Emotional, and Cognitive Development through Age-Appropriate Activity (McGraw-Hill, 2003). Rae speaks to parent and education groups throughout North America. Visit her and read more articles at www.movingandlearning.com.

• No two baby brains are alike and there is no such a thing as a set of right answers for enhancing the baby’s intelligence. Be aware of the baby’s interests and motivation and help s/he to act upon the objects.
• The observation of the baby’s brain still difficult to do and it is not yet available to use in real-life situations. So, to know what is happening inside you baby brain we would need to use different kinds of computerized or caps of electrodes to display its structure. So… what we have left in order to enhance the baby’s intelligence? – A combination of behavioral observation and good educational research to help us to get every act we experience with our babies right! This we can perform!
• Don’t be afraid! Mix your personal experience, research results, and observe educational practices, and you will not have a chance to do it wrong with your baby!
• Remember that your baby is always constructing his knowledge of the world, and the more s/he uses his/her body to leave, the better s/he shapes the power of his/her neural connections. The more s/he uses his/her functions, s/he access a dynamic process where his/her neurons communicate through electrical and chemical signaling, leading to creation of complex physical connections, that are all together what will become the structures of the brain. Remember – “Use it and you will have it!” This -phrase works for the babies, the ones who have the brain quality to shape itself every other minute in life!
• So, how to get every act we experience with the baby right? How to increase the baby’s neural connection, increasing the Baby brain development?
• Give them good nutrition – yes, we all already know it is important!
• Pay attention to their rest – we all know babies need sleeping schedules! But, do not impose it to the baby. It’s hers/his own necessity that counts;
• Care for their emotional stability! – This is a factor that makes all the difference. Care for it!
• Promote them time to play! – Playing for the baby brain equals exercise and the experimentation of the relationships of movements, space and body. The baby needs to feel the world by going around places, seeing things, sensing spaces, listening and understanding sounds.
• Promote time to read – I am not talking about reading to the baby. I am talking about time for them to read! Giving the baby the opportunity to be exposed and to using symbols and signs that represents the culture and the thoughts that maintains the culture, are the most valuable experience for him/her. And it is right to learn to read! Even if the culture yet do not accept it!
• But take time! Wait for the baby’s own rhythmic development to have enough time to do their own mental growing. The baby will do the magic! How? Observe the baby’s inner motivation, and go with him towards his/her own interests. Time to learn all about cats? Dogs? Flowers? Family members? Girls? Boys? Toys? Give them all the time they to play and learn about them! Give them all the information they are affected to, attended to, interested in. Give them the opportunity to be observing, exploring the surroundings.
• Let him/her repeat what s/he is doing, how many times s/he needs to.
• Make games to promote problem solving (Ex: Where are we going? What color is the cat?… Keep talking to the baby all the time you can!…)
• Motivate with different colors; when talking to the baby add adjectives to objects, nouns and subjects. (Ex: Book?…Red book. Shirt? White shirt, etc…)

• Brains respond to novelties better than to anything else. So, show the baby the uniqueness of everyday life. Show colors, forms, temperature, animals, fits, cars, words in public places, people of different ages, birds, and wild animals, etc…

All these activities will aid in healthy Baby brain development!

About this Author:
Dr. Eliane Leao is a native of Brazil, South America. She has a background in Education from Purdue University (Masters) and a PhD in the Dept of Educational Psychology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)/Purdue University (Ph.D.). Visit our website for Free Articles and a Free Ebook on the subject of Babies and Reading at www.baby-can-read.com.

Soft spots are placed where the skull has not completely closed at birth. The anterior fontanel is about two inches wide and may not be closed completely until your baby is 18 months old. The posterior fontanel is only about a half inch wide and will be closed by the time your baby is three months old, much earlier than the anterior soft spot.

Soft spots are present for several different reasons and are very important in terms of your baby’s health. First and foremost, having a gap in the skull allows the head to change shape making it easier for your baby to come down the birth canal. This is why some babies are born with a cone shaped head.

Second, the soft spots allow room for your baby’s brain to grow during the first year of life. During this time your baby’s brain will grow very rapidly and it needs to have somewhere to grow. If the skull was closed there would be no way for the skull to stretch and expand.

Another use of soft spots by doctors is to check your baby’s hydration level when your baby is sick. Most of the time the fontanel will expand and move when your baby laughs, cries and breathes. When your baby is sick however and get dehydrated his fontanel will sink into his head. If your baby has a depressed fontanel, call your pediatrician and ask him what you should do.

There is nothing special you have to do to take care of your baby’s fontanel. You mainly have to make sure that you are careful around that spot since there is in essence, no protection covering your baby’s brain in that spot. Wash it gently and be sure not to let any older brothers and sisters accidentally push on it while playing with their new “toy”.

If you think there is anything wrong with your baby’s soft spots, or feel that they might be closing too soon, be sure to ask your pediatrician at your baby’s next well-check, or call your pediatrician to ask him. Most of the time everything will be fine, but it is better to be safe than sorry, and that is what he is there for.