To control Vata dosha, massages are soothing and recommended for children every day.
A massage with oil is not always needed, if it is unavailable.
Massaging from the feet up is stimulating. Massaging from the head down is relaxing, to help baby fall asleep.
Do not massage the umbilical area directly. Move around it.
An older baby may play in sun with oil rubbed in the body, before a bath, nursing and a nap.
A head rub aids a baby to sleep and relieves stress.
BATHING Until he is older, bathe baby around noon in the winter months, when it is warmer in the house.Tell a reluctant child “Let’s wash your baby”, and give them a favorite baby doll (or other toys) to bathe along with them.
DIAPERING Here's my take on what diapers to use:
Cloth diapers may be cheaper but consider the cost of washing them.
They must be changed more often than paper ones.
They can be more time consuming and difficult to use without support or know how. Alternately, one can use both cloth and disposables (such as when traveling).
Use breathable diaper covers, not plastic, to prevent diaper rash if you are using cloth. Otherwise disposable diapers keep baby dryer and rash free if changed reasonably often.
Make sure cloth diapers are well rinsed and preferably sun dried. Diapers dried in the sun are said to prevent diaper rash.
Baby powder provides extra comfort, but it is not really necessary, and be careful baby does not inhale it.
Prevent diaper rash by diligently keeping the diaper area clean. I almost always washed my babies under a spicket with gentle soap and water. They never got rashes.
In that way, baby wipes are not usually necessary. I saved them for travel or a really messy cleanup before washing with soap and water.
Allow baby to go without a diaper now and then for air.
To diaper a wriggling baby, try giving him something to hold and look at.
"When a child passes stool and urine that touch the body of the mother, the mother never hates the child. On the contrary, she takes much pleasure in cleansing him. The stool and urine of the maintained child appear like sandalwood pulp to the mother." - CC Antya 4.186-187
DRESSING AND CLOTHING
A newborn enjoys swaddling. It is similar to prior conditions within the womb, and it keeps his arms and legs together when baby is startled (which can happen fairly often when newly born). Swaddling, therefore, is so he can rest better.
A rimmed cloth hat is helpful to keep sun and rain off the head when outdoors. In winter a cap that covers his ears is essential.
Cold hands or feet are an indicator baby is cold.
FEEDING.
“For children who are eating well- fruit, milk, grain, dairy and some legumes- there is usually no need for vitamin supplementation”
Until teeth come in introduce non grain solid foods when baby shows eagerness to have them. Introduce these gradually, along with continued breast feeding, items such as mashed banana, applesauce, pureed carrots...
Young children may for quite some time appear to live mostly on milk, breast or and cow’s.
Introduce grains when first teeth come in.-cream of wheat, oatmeal, rice cereal...
Young children need to eat more often because of littler stomachs, but it is best to keep eating at regular times. You may wish to feed 3 good meals with two healthy snacks. Prabhupada wrote:
" It is nice if they eat often—if children overeat it doesn't matter, that is no mistake." letter, 1/10/72, Bombay
If children pick at their vegetables, do not force them to eat them, but encourage to always take at least one bite. I call it "The One Bite Club", and they must take at least one bite to belong to this elclusive club. Then they will develop gradually a taste for many nutritious foods.
Meanwhile, offer fresh fruits for snacks. They help fill in the vitamins until children get more taste for vegetables (All my children were avid vegetable eaters at an early age- even okra, spinach, broccoli...)
Give small servings, about a tablespoon per preparation for a toddler.
"Prabhupäda once asked Nandaräni däsi if her children ate däl and capätis every day. At that time the children were aged one and two. Nandaräni said yes, and Prabhupäda approved. He said that if children ate däl and capätis from the time they were young, they would always be healthy. He said the däl should be very hot and that she should soak the capäti until it was very soft, and then the children could eat it. He said she could mix rice in the däl as well. Prabhupäda said that urad däl is the best, then mung, then lentils, but that soybeans are not needed."-Prabhupada nectar 5
To encourage younger children to eat a whole chapati, make them smaller ones when you are cooking.
Cut foods like pancakes or toast into bite size pieces to encourage eating.
Encourage at least one bite of everything on child’s plate to create a taste for a variety of foods.
Often it is better is to actually sit down and help feed a restless toddler. They don’t have great attention spans for finishing a meal and will therefore eat better.
Do not force a child to eat. Try a little game instead: Say “Deposit 50 cents please" to hear a story and repeatedly so the story may continue.
Try to make special requests for certain preparations whenever they come up.
Make sure meals are on time. Otherwise you’ll be reaching for snacks to soothe hungry little stomachs.
You can grate many foods until more teeth come in or use a fork to mash them. You can grate chapatis and soak them in dahl to soften, then mash with a fork.
To feed a grape to a toddler, slice it in half and squeeze one half until the skin pops off. You can bite or break the kernels off of popcorn, too, for a young child.
Never allow a toddler to walk around while eating. It's risky and messy.
Teach older childrwn also to always sit while eating. Be extra careful with hard candies and nuts and slippery things or lollipops with a stick.
Also beware of sticky things like dry sandesh or burfi that can stick in the throat.
Make sure kids get plenty of fresh air and exercise for good appetites.
“The mothers took care of the boys by massaging them with oil, bathing them, smearing their bodies with sandalwood pulp, decorating them with ornaments, chanting protective mantras, decorating their bodies with tilaka and giving them food." -SB10.13.23THE QUESTION OF VITAMINS
Vitamin A is stored in the body and effects the liver. Beware, therefore, that most children’s vitamins contain large doses of Vitamin A since they are designed for meat eaters who eat few vegetables or fruits and little butter or ghee.
TEETHING
One suggestion is to wrap ice chips in a very clean white cloth and tie securely.
Make sure the cloth is well rinsed, free from any laundry soap residue (rinse thoroughly with first lemon juice and then pure water), and the chips cannot get loose.
"While sucking the breast, the babies smiled, and Their small teeth were visible. Their mothers Yashoda and Rohini, upon seeing those beautiful teeth, enjoyed great transcendental bliss." --SB 10.8.23
TOOTHCARE
Clean new teeth with a clean, coarse wash cloth. Baking soda is not recommended since it can be dangerous if swallowed on an empty stomach.
When he is older and able to spit, use a toothbrush with small amounts of flouride free (not good to swallow either), herbal toothpaste.
Let him watch you brush and then brush his own. Gradually give child more and more control over brushing his own teeth.
One idea is to thoroughly brush his teeth at bedtime and let him practice on his own in the morning.
When older, give a demonstration with a model how to brush properly. Allow the child to use a red disclosing tablet (ask your dentist for one or two) to demonstrate how areas may be missed after brushing.
In a hurry? Leave child’s toothbrush out with paste on it and tell him to brush. The brush is an indication to you whether the child brushed or not.
If proper care has been taken, a dentist isn’t necessary until the first permanent teeth come in. Then checkups are important.
Teach children as soon as possible to always wash their mouths after eating. Do it for them until they can reach the spicket or you can leave a cup of water for them to rinse with.
A good way to remember to wash children’s mouths is to check on theirs or remind them whenever you wash your own.
Make sure a child is not eating too may sweets (Neighbors like to give these away freely). Otherwise reserve sweets for meal time.
SLEEPING WITH BABY
I slept with all my babies, and found that it made life a lot easier. Babies actually have to awaken at night and having you nearby immediately soothes him and won’t disturb the rest of the family. You’ll get more sleep, too, by being close enough to immediately offer comfort and a breast for sucking. I got enough rest to still rise early every day. Babies are natural early risers, too, and if allowed to maintain that habit, it can become easily lifelong.
Baby should NOT sleep on the stomach nor be left alone for long amounts of time in that position. Stomach sleepers are especially vulnerable to ghost attacks (which may be a reason, I believe, behind SIDS).
CHILDREN’S SLEEP NEEDS
Preschool children (ages 3 to 5): 10 to 12 hours (including naps)
Age 6 to 12: at least 9 hours a night
Teenagers (ages 13 to 19): 8 1/2 to 9 hours
Before bedtime it’s best to limit sweets and distractions that make it difficult to unwind.
:
You are the trip I did not take;
You are the pearls I cannot buy;
You are my blue Italian lake;
You are my piece of foreign sky.
--Anne Campbell