be a good mother

Q: What do growth charts mean?

A: The infant growth chart contains information on the weight, length (height), and head circumference of babies throughout the United States at different ages, so your own baby’s measurements can be compared to theirs. There are different charts for boys and girls. Using the chart, your doctor might find that your son is in the 70th percentile for weight, for example, which means that 70 percent of male babies his age weigh less than he does and 30 percent weigh more. These numbers help your doctor keep tabs on your baby’s size. For many parents, growth charts become a source of anxiety — and competition with other parents — especially if their child is in the lower percentiles. “Don’t worry about a low or high percentile,” says pediatrician Romi Webster of Children’s Hospital Boston. “The most important thing is how your baby grows over time. If he’s small but growing at the appropriate rate, there’s usually no cause for concern.”

Seems quite simple but for some reason I tend to forget. Information from Baby Center.

This article was so good.

Age-By-Age Feeding Guide

How much sleep does your child need?

“Let’s call it acceptable behavior at the table. I hope that you are setting a good example from the very beginning. This means no arguments at the table and staying seated for the entire meal. It also means no television when you are eating. Don’t complain about the food, don’t share with your child the list of the foods you don’t like and why. In other words, your dinner table (and lunch and breakfast) behavior should be pleasant, upbeat, and positive, and considerate of others at the table.” (See comments below!)

PRAISE when food/cup/bottle is NOT tossed on the floor.

Developmental Milestones

Sample baby schedules for baby’s first year

I’ll keep adding to this post.

I haven’t read “My Body Belongs to Me” but everything I see so far makes me want this book. I’m trying to wait and posting this as a reminder. It’s recommended for children three to ten years old. There are sample pages on their website.

The book can be purchased on the website for $14.95 and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to organizations dedicated to the prevention of child sexual abuse.

There were so many other goals I thought about. Here are a few:

“Learn more about child nutrition”
“Become the cook”
“Become the nutrition gatekeeper”
“Help my daughter feel beautiful inside and out”
“Help my daughter grow up without any food issues, eating disorders, hating her Mommy…” etc. Ha! But seriously they are all real concerns.

I’m planning on using this goal for notes about things I want to remember. Right now I’m concerned with nutrition and I think it’s a good place to start. We’ll see how this goes.