Today Tile Triggered Content

When to wean (introduce your baby to solid foods) is one of those things that has been debated over generations. You might hear from friends or relatives that weaning should start now, while others are sticklers for 'not before 6 months'. We asked Paediatric Dietician and Food Therapist, Lucy Upton, for her advice on when weaning is really right for a baby.

What is weaning? 

Your toddler probably has a good relationship with their toes, odd though that might sound. Whether they have mouthed them as a baby or used them during singing times, they'll have likely provided entertainment! But our toes provide much more than that: their ability to keep us active is actually mind blowing! 

We probably don’t really pay much attention to our toes; we might paint them from time to time, or clip and file them. 

You might have noticed there are lots of dancing activities in the app. While we're not your toddler's personal trainer, we do love to celebrate the delights of dance, because it's brilliant for your toddler in so many ways!

Dancing releases lots of energy  

Your toddler uses their feet a lot; constantly busy, never seeming to stop! Their little feet do an incredible job of holding their body weight and taking them where they want to go. We love a few fun facts, so here are some about your toddler’s wonderful feet (and yours, too). 

• Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints and over 140 muscles, tendons and ligaments. These hold the foot together and allow it to move in various ways.^[1] 
• There are approximately 250,000 sweat glands in the feet!  
• Drying feet well after washing, especially in between the toes, helps reduce bacteria. This helps keep the skin healthy and able to fight off infections (and good drying reduces the stench from all those sweat glands too!)  
• Feet are natural shock absorbers.^[2]  
• Having feet measured helps keep them healthy. Wearing properly fitted footwear is very important to foot health.^[2] 
• Trimming your toenails straight across helps prevent ingrown toenails. 
• Your feet may just be the most ticklish part of your body. There are thousands of nerve endings and some of them are close to the skin.^[3]  
• Feet are happiest when they are bare. Walking barefoot improves body awareness,^[4] and toes are free to extend and spread. 

References: 

We can see it now: your toddler is in the park... there’s a bridge to climb, stepping stones to travel over and a tunnel to crawl through. What to do first?! Having opportunities to clamber, climb and crawl is great for your toddler’s overall development. 

1) When your toddler navigates their way around obstacles, their gross and fine motor skills develop 

When is the right time to move to a new bed? The only people that know that answer is the family involved. There is no right or wrong age for a child to move into a big bed – it all depends on when you think your child is ready, or when you feel it is necessary. 

The first night in a big bed is a huge step for you all. Your toddler is growing up quickly and outgrowing things by the day. So, if you're about to transition from a cot to a bed, here are some pointers to guide you. 

Studies are showing what many written word-lovers have known for years – poetry is good for your mental health.^[1] How can you use this knowledge to make your experience of parenting a little more positive?  

Poetry can feel like a very elitist or exclusive artform, and one which (if you’re not already a fan) is too scary to get into when you’re a busy adult: the equivalent of walking into a pub and finding the eyes of every regular boring into you.  

Poems can be the perfect way to capture a feeling, and we love how this one makes us smile with the reminder of that rush of joy that a swing brings. Short enough for you to share with your toddler, enjoy this rhyme before your next trip to the park. 

This sweet rhyme from Scottish poet Robert Louis Stevenson may have been written over 200 years ago, but it proves the feeling of freedom that comes with swinging back and forth is timeless.  

I Am Yoga by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, is a sturdy board book which can withstand being read again and again while your family tries out the different poses on each page.  

This calming story talks you through the feelings the main character notices as they calm their body using several simple yoga poses. As well as inspiring your toddler to try yoga to stretch out in new ways, which is fantastic for their sense of balance and developing motor skills, the book links the poses to important feelings and attitudes. This will support your toddler to begin making positive connections with their body and embracing the amazing ways it will support them throughout their life.  

Speech usually comes to mind when we think of rhythm and intonation. When we talk to babies and young children, we use sing-song voices to emphasise words and make everything said seem like the most fascinating thing ever heard. But, did you know we use just as much intonation when we say numbers? 

Think about using numbers with your toddler; do you elongate the sounds, ooooonnnnnnne, twwwwooooooooo, threeeeeeeeeeee?