In This Issue
ArchiveMissed an issue? |
Spring has Sprung!
Good and Tasty Food for Pregnancy
We started by talking to a few friends to find out the healthy things they craved and found an unexpected common theme: avocado! Whether in guacamole form, as an addition to a salad, or sliced up as a topper to a sandwich, avocado came up as a popular food that many wanted to eat during pregnancy. Avocados are high in potassium and also give a healthy dose of vitamin C and folate. While some women worry because they have heard avocados have a higher fat content, it is good to know that avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats which not only help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol but also help boost HDL (good) cholesterol. Another common item we found people craving is vanilla yogurt. While one friend prefers hers without any additions, others liven it up with fresh blueberries or with granola and bananas. Yogurt is great for getting some additional calcium into your system. Adding your own fresh fruits and granola makes for an appetizing delivery system for other important vitamins and fiber. While there is definitely a list of cheeses to avoid, there are plenty to choose from that can be featured in a variety of different menus. Mozzarella and parmesan add zing to your favorite Italian dishes, while a sharp cheddar grilled cheese sandwich is an adult take on a childhood classic. Cheese is a savory way to get both calcium and protein into your diet. Some women have heard that they need to avoid honey, but this is not actually true. Honey should not be given to babies under a year old because their systems are not yet developed enough to fight off potential spores. An adult’s digestive system will easily kill any spores, so using it during pregnancy is fine and healthy. Feel free to sweeten up your tea or smoothie without feeling guilty. Finally, we could not give out these suggestions without mentioning a drink that is one of our personal favorites: orange juice. Everyone knows about the vitamin C benefit, but orange juice is also high in folate which is an essential nutrient during pregnancy. Choosing one that is fortified with calcium will give you more of that important nutrient as well. You may not crave it first thing in the morning, but orange juice tastes great at any time of the day. As with any diet information, please talk to your doctor or nutrition specialist to make sure that the tips above are right for you and your body type. Then go ahead and start feeling good about the foods you eat while pregnant! Top Baby Talk
During the first three months of life, your baby is listening to the world around him. He will not understand the meaning behind the words, but will enjoy hearing your voice and the voices of others engaged in conversation. Singing to your baby is another great way to introduce your voice. In fact, singing to your baby is something you can do before he is even born. He will hear you! The next three months are the time that your baby will begin babbling in earnest. When she does, feel free to imitate the sounds. If she begins making a noise that sounds like a word you just said, repeat the word. Be sure to hold your baby close so that she looks into your eyes. Smile when you are talking to her. Somewhere around his eighth month, your baby will begin playing with sounds in earnest. Some of the sounds can seem like actual words like mama or dada. While he may not be able to say them yet himself, you can help your baby to begin understanding words by asking simple questions like, “Where’s Daddy?” and then pointing to Daddy if the baby does not respond. Naming things as you either use them or hand them to your child also helps him to begin recognizing the different objects that the words stand for. Around ten months, your baby will begin to understand simple words. Now when you ask, “Where’s Daddy?” she will look for him and point. While full words are hard to master, a baby at this stage can begin to use different signs to let you know what she wants. Lifting up her arms to you probably shows that she would like to be picked up. In fact, some parents teach their child simple sign language. Though they are not yet using words, children at this age can master many different signs which help them communicate their needs. At a year old, you can expect your baby to begin saying his first words. There will only be one or two that he can say, but it will be clear that he can understand many more. Most babies at this stage can understand 25 or more different words. By the age of 18 months, he should be able to say “thank you,” and approximately 30 other words. It is important to be patient when asking your child questions in order to give him time to answer. Approximately two months before their second birthday, most children will begin to put two words together into simple sentences such as “car go,” or “want juice.” This is also the stage when the words begin to tumble out of your child. You can help them learn to construct longer sentences by teaching them simple songs and nursery rhymes. Reading out loud to your child is always a good idea, and at this stage it is very important to use the book to interact with your child. Ask questions about the story and remember that the learning process takes time. A negative reaction to “wrong” answers may discourage your child. The timelines we have given above are general ones and your child may achieve them a bit earlier or later than mentioned. If you are worried that your child is lagging behind, do not hesitate to talk to your pediatrician or a child care professional. Language development issues are easier to overcome when they are addressed early on. Top Spring into New Products!Baby View Video Monitor
The Safety 1st Baby View Video Monitor lets you see and hear your baby from the other room! The camera can be table or wall mounted and allows you to easily adjust the angle to transmit the best view of your child to the high resolution 5" video screen. With auto night vision you are able to see your baby at night as well as during the day. We've included a portable audio monitor unit with sound lights which lets you to continue monitoring your child, wherever you go in the house. Click here for more information. Fever Light™ 1-Second Ear Thermometer 
When it comes to your baby's health, you want fast and accurate information. The Fever Light 1-Second Ear Thermometer by Safety 1st provides exactly that. With a large digital display and our Fever Light bar that lights up when children have a fever, you'll know right away if your child's temperature has risen above normal. The thermometer also features a handy memory recall to help you keep track of the past 12 readings. Click here for more information. Simple Step Diaper Pail 
Dispose of your baby’s diapers the easy and clean way! The Safety 1st Simple Step Diaper Pail has a convenient foot pedal for a no hands approach when you need it most. A built-in deodorizer compartment helps you keep baby’s changing area smelling fresh. Click here for more information. Easy-Fit® Security Gate 
The Easy-Fit Security Gate by Safety 1st comes equipped with a special memory feature, ensuring reinstallation is always fast and simple. Hardware free setup allows you to move the gate easily from one room to the other as you and your child move throughout the house. This gate isn’t just great for babies; it’s also perfect for use with pets too! Click here for more information. Feast ‘n Fold High Chair 
The Feast ‘n Fold High Chair from Safety 1st gives you modern style with the performance features you are looking for. The three-position wood tray features 1-hand release, making it easy to get your little one in and out during mealtimes. The seat pad and headrest are both washable, and the plastic insert tray is dishwasher safe so cleanup's a breeze. When mealtime is done, the compact design of the high chair folds flat and then stands by itself to make stashing it away easy. Click here for more information. Congratulations to Our Winners!Each winner will receive one of our fantastic Safety 1st® Little Men Working Potty! Click here to check them out and buy one! Treva Scholl Jennifer Flanary Susan Weir Sharon Imgrund Spotlight on Connor!
When we first talked to Deanne, Connor had just begun talking and was using simple syllables like “ba” for ball. At almost two years later, he’s well into full sentences. “Connor is very chatty. He talks a lot to his trains, often asks if we have a surprise for him, and “when are we going back to Target?” We wondered what sort of activities Connor likes getting involved with and Deanne let us know that he loves his new once-a-week gym class. “It’s a full hour of tumbling, swinging, jumping & running...right up his alley!” We asked Deanne to tell us about a Safety 1st product that comes in handy for her and her husband. “Connor is a busy guy. He’s in a big boy bed and we need to keep an ear on him…especially post bedtime. We use the High Def Digital Monitor to stay tuned to what’s going on in his room. Little footsteps and wheels rolling are usually sounds that need some checking in on...” We wish Deanne and her family a happy spring! TopIf you have any questions regarding Safety 1st products please contact Dorel Juvenile Group Consumer Relations at consumer@djgusa.com. Top |
March 2009
The clocks have gone forward, spring flowers are beginning to bud and we have (hopefully) said goodbye to any further chance of snow. This month we examine how a baby’s cute babble eventually turns into speech. Also, we heard that many of you are tired of being told what not to eat while pregnant, so we decided to go out and investigate some foods that were both healthy and great at satisfying common cravings. Our monthly collection of product recommendations features all new products that can help you out in multiple ways. We’ll round things off by turning the spotlight on Connor, a toddler right here in our Safety 1st family!
It may seem that pregnancy comes along with a lengthy DO NOT list. No more manicures. Give up all that extra coffee. No more brie, deli meats, tuna, and many of our other favorites. While it is important to know about the foods to avoid, we thought it would be fun to list out some foods that are both tasty and good for you during pregnancy. Even if you are not pregnant, these delicious foods are high in vitamins and minerals we all could use some more of, so read on!
If you already have a child who has started to talk, you know that it can seem like a very long time from first hearing your baby say “ba” for bottle to hearing the question “Why?” after everything you say. A baby starts learning to talk right after birth and continues throughout the first few years. It is an exciting time, but many parents wonder if their child is in the right stage. Every child is different, but we can give you some general guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education to help you know what to expect.
This month we chatted with Deanne Sanchez, Safety 1st Director of Marketing and mother of Connor. If you have been a Safety 1st fan for a while, you may remember that we first learned a bit about Connor back in June of 2007, when he was a year old. With the quick changes children go through, we thought it would be great to catch up with his mom to see how he is doing these days.