Gentle Snooze Paris

Eric Carle is and will always be part of our bedtime reading.

From the Eric Carle Team: It is with heavy hearts that we share that Eric Carle, author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other beloved classics, passed away on Sunday, May 23rd at the age of 91.

When asked why he thinks The Very Hungry Caterpillar has remained popular for so long, Carle said, “I think it is a book of hope. Children need hope. You, little insignificant caterpillar can grow up into a beautiful butterfly and fly into the world with your talent.”

Thank you, Eric Carle for sharing your great talent with so many generations of young readers.

A "non-newborn" recommendation but too precious not to share to moms who might need to keep their children at home.

This is a helpful list of learning resources and activities for our little ones when we work-from- home.

WFHWK - what are the kids going to do!? Learning resources and activities to do with kids during homeschooling and quarantine due to Covid19. Updated weekly.

Are you a hummingbird parent?

Thanks for the reminder, Wilder Child.

Today is another "hot day" in Paris. Some babies will find it excruciatingly difficult to go down to sleep when they feel hot or warm. They are very sensitive to extreme temperatures so it is important for us to dress them appropriately.

Here is an infographic on how to appropriately dress our babies for sleeping (based on the room temperature).

Keep hydrated, everyone!

Photo grabbed from Google.

Real talk: How does a mother's time get allocated during the first months with the baby?

Data scientist and new mom, Caitlin Hudon () describes her first months with her baby in this stacking bar graph. Based on her experience, she started having free time when the baby was on their 3rd or 4th month. But let's be honest, "free time" does not always mean a time for self-care because there will always be hundreds of chores piled up, doctors' appointments to be scheduled, and mounds of laundry to be washed.

Sleep deprivation was an emerging norm for moms too, and for most moms (including me), it remains even beyond the baby's first six months.

Hot days are definitely not over in Paris as we will be expecting more in the coming weeks.

Babies are more prone to dehydration compared to adults because they lose their body fluids faster. During warm temperatures, we should always check our babies for the following signs of dehydration:

* Dry lips and mouth
* Tearless crying
* Peeing little or less than 6 wet diapers in 24 hours
* Dark-colored ("concentrated") urine
* Dry skin
* Irritability or listlessness
* Lethargy or sleepiness
* Less elasticity in the skin
* Sunken eyeballs
* Sunken "soft spot" or fontanels on the top of the head.

What to do when one or more signs of dehydration are observed:

* Babies who are experiencing mild dehydration will naturally feed more often than usual so offer your breasts (if breastfeeding) or give formula milk, per demand.
*Never offer water for babies less than 6 months old. WHO recommends withholding water until the baby starts solids to prevent the risks of diarrhea or malnutrition. Another risk in giving water to babies less than 6 months old is "hyponatremia" or when too much water dilutes the salt in the body.
*Do not direct cold air towards the baby. When the baby gets cold, shivering can make them lose water more. This also applies to bathing- babies should not be bathed in cold water when in hot temperatures.
* If babies show moderate to severe signs of dehydration, seek urgent medical attention.

Keep safe, everyone!

Look with Love - Bridgett Miller reminds us that our actions towards our babies are reflection of our emotions. Keeping a gentle and peaceful attitude helps calm the situation down.

RESPECT is the key word in Magda Ge**er's philosophy. Respect that goes both ways, for the baby and for the carer. Carers can show their profound respect for the baby by simply telling him what you plan to do.

Walk the baby through the process, "I am laying you down now on the changing table", "I am removing your diaper", "I am putting a fresh diaper on you." It may sound menial to adults, but for a baby, it enables a nurturing and trusting connection.

Magda Ge**er, in her book, "Dear Parents: Caring for Infants with Respect", mentions that "young babies thrive on routine". This also applies in helping the baby develop good sleeping habits.

Do you agree with her?

Hi, I'm Jess. I am a newborn nurse and I offer my services to families in Paris and suburbs who have recently welcomed their adorable newborn.

I earned a nursing degree from the University of the Philippines Manila and have worked as a pediatric and neonatal nurse in Philippine General Hospital for 5 years. I am also a public health researcher and a staunch advocate of children's rights when I worked in the non-profit organizations in the Philippines and Mongolia.

I am a mother of a 2 year old girl, Céline Therese (named after the French author Louis-Ferdinand Céline). Similar to other first-time mothers, I struggled tremendously, and most of my days and nights then were aptly described as "simply surviving". That was the time I realized that my daughter deserved more than "simply surviving". Our babies deserve our optimal care which can be achieved when we, mothers, fathers, and carers, have enough SELF- CARE.

Gentle Snooze Paris is anchored to the philosophy of optimal newborn care at night while nurturing the self-care of mothers and families. Being a follower of the pedagogies of RIE and Reggio Emilia, I believe that babies are sentient beings and respect is the core of my care. Gentle Snooze Paris is therefore rooted in developing responsive positive connections with the newborn.