Bare in Mind

Don’t forget about mom!

After laboring for [insert big number] hours you are handed this baby and boom - those visits when the doctor checks on you become a distant memory. Between baby well visits, feeding around the clock, and changing diapers - you may not even recognize yourself! So let’s not forget about mom!

What surprised you most about the first 2 years of life? 🤔

For me, it was the amount of doctor visits! Ironically, I managed to generate a whole slew of questions within the small window between appointments that the next well visit couldn’t come fast enough! It seemed that by the time I got the hang of something, it changed!

🚽Wet vs soiled diapers within 24 hrs
🍼The amount of milk baby consumes
💧When to introduce water?
💤How many naps a day?
👀Wake windows

The first 2 years are a crucial time in baby’s growth and development and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends specific intervals in which to visit the doctor

If you haven’t checked out the video, First 6 Weeks with Baby- scroll down or click 👇🏻

⚠️https://bareinmind.org/episodes/babys-first-6-weeks⚠️

It provides more in-depth information of those first months with 👶🏼

Prospective, Patience and Resilience - those are key words that summarize the 3 trimesters of pregnancy for me.

After experiencing a miscarriage, I had a hard time trusting doctors and really my own body. I quickly learned that everyone’s journey to becoming a parent is unique and humbling. [Resilience]

It was fate that I found (I hope every mom finds the right doctor for them!). I learned so much about my body through my subsequent pregnancies [Patience]

[Prospective] If you are expecting a little one, here are some interesting facts on a “traditional” pregnancy:
🤍You will be seen every four weeks until you reach 28 weeks. You will then have appointments every two weeks until 36 weeks. After this, you will be seen every week.
🤍The first visit is usually the longest. You should allow 45 minutes. The remaining visits are usually 10 to 15 minutes.
🤍Detection of gender can be made through a blood sample as early as 9 weeks
🤍Did your initial round of blood work reveal that you’re Rh negative? That could mean that you and your baby are Rh incompatible. In that case, your doctor may suggest a shot of Rh immunoglobulin (RhoGAM) during pregnancy and after delivery if you have an Rh positive baby. 
🤍It’s not as easy as S*x Ed makes it seem to get pregnant …at least it wasn’t for me
🤍 It’s ok to not LOVE being pregnant
🤍Miscarriages are more common than you think - you’re not alone

Supermom! She is the best mom BECAUSE she does it all. Or is she? What if a really good mom (if we have to label moms) is a mom that can actually take a breath.

What if the modern supermom had rest and self-care for powers so she would feel energized to be there with her children?!

Rebecca Cefai () emphasizes finding things that can…
🤍Recharge
🤍Stabilize
Or
🤍Help you grow

We live in a society that glorifies busy-ness, if you aren’t tired and overwhelmed are you even doing anything at all?

So, what can (and should) you do? How do we embrace moments versus feeling like we have to do more?

📷 Shout out to my cousin-in-law for capturing these moments ❤️ 📷

How do you decide whether to allow your child to take risks in play versus keeping them safe at all costs?

In collaboration with , we examine the research on risky play.  It can be any type of thrilling free play that involves one the following: 
▶️high speed
▶️heights
▶️dangerous tools
▶️being near dangerous elements (fire, water)
▶️rough and tumble play, and/or
▶️play where there is a chance of getting lost (Sandseter, 2007). 

We are NOT encouraging you to merely observe while your child dances around a fire pit, but what we are noting is that risky play (within reason) is important for a child’s development and that the desire to engage in risky play has been found in children as young as one (Kleppe, Melhuish, & Sandseter, 2017) ... It’s not super surprising though, right?!

What is surprising is the handy benefits found with risky play.  A recent systematic review of risky play found many benefits for children in terms of physical activity, as well as social and emotional development (Brussoni et al., 2015). One study even used the sole engagement in risky play as an intervention (Brussoni, Ishikawa, Brunelle, & Herrington, 2017).

It is important to note that more research is needed on this topic as there is a lack of high quality research on risky play (Brussoni et al., 2015).

How do you feel about encouraging risky play?

💭Want tips for encouraging risky play (within reason)? Swipe right and make sure to follow and .inimind

highlight that children have different needs developmentally speaking when it comes to problem-solving:

🔘Children 2-3 years will need an adult to walk them through problem-solving.
🗣 “I see two friends have a problem. Let’s work together to solve the problem. You can choose option A or option B. Which do you choose?”

🔘 Children 3-4 years will need some support in learning how to problem-solve.
🗣 “I see two friends have a problem. Friend A, what will make this problem better? Friend B, what will make this problem better? Let me know if you’d like my help.”

🔘Children 4 years+ may need to be prompted to problem-solve and will begin solving problems on their own.
🗣 “I see two friends have a problem. How would you like to solve this together? Let me know if you’d like my help.”

What stage are you in?

⭐️ Follow and .inmind for more ⭐️

After teaming up with , we’re excited to bring you simple scripts for avoiding tantrums on the playground!

Overall, try to follow your child's lead before offering input. When adults offer solutions such as, "where do you want to go first?" or "how can I help?" the child’s experience becomes more directed by the adult.

Shifting your comments and responses to "let me know if you need help" reassures them that you are there and that they are free to explore.

How do you address tantrums on the playground?

Follow & .inmind for more

Great Picture Books for Preschoolers and Parents to Read Together:

✨It's a Great, Big Colorful World by Tom Schamp

✨ The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

✨ Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

✨ No Pants by Jacob Grant

You have a threenager!

A time where their independence and vocabulary blooms! In between every “No! I’ll do it myself!!” you may hear things like, “Help!” “Play with me!” & “I love you soooo much!”

Threenagers pick up so much from their surroundings (...maybe not physical toys 😆) and their desire to learn is in supercharge mode!

Some of our favorite authors for this age:

📖 Sandra Boynton

📖 Bill Martin

📖 Anna Dewdney

& of course “All by Myself” by Mercer Mayer + “Still Stuck” by Shinsuke Yosh*take

Continuing the early literacy series ⭐️⭐️⭐️