BABYOURSELF Magazine - Holiday 2012

HOLIDAY 2012

sanity for sleepless mommies

pampering for preggos

Orlando

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Kids H

      GIFT GUIDE

OLIDAY

RECIPES

for kids!

as pie



How to create a professional family photo!

baby’s

Holiday 2012

holiday meal

by

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from photographer

Elisabeth Nixon sculpt

Svelte Shoulders

just in time for your holiday parties!

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babyourself holiday 2012

CONTENTS

EASY AS PIE Including your kids in holiday food preparation

The Holiday Issue

Amy Smith Photography

8

Special Features

8 – Easy as pie – Fun ways to include your kids in holiday food preparation

Birth Steps eNewsletter: Birth Steps is a FREE email newsletter that provides Mommy with useful information for every stage of pregnancy and two years beyond. Subscribe today at WinterParkHospital.com on the Baby Place page.

40weekswithme.com: Pregnancy is a 40-week adventure with highs, lows, cravings and crib shopping. That’s why the Baby Place has launched a blog – a daily journal of one woman’s exhilarating trek from baby bump to bringing baby home. Visit 40WeeksWithMe.com to follow our Mommy-to-be blogger as she shares her pregnancy feelings and funny insights.

VISIT

WHAT A REAL PREGNANCY IS REALLY LIKE.

Baby Place App:

WPMH-12-9853

This app tracks baby’s sleeping schedules, diaper changes, bottle feeding, pumping and baby’s medical history. New moms can also use the app to record baby’s milestone moments! Download by visiting BabyPlaceApp.com or scanning the QR code.

12 – Holiday gift guide – Our favorite items for your kids

For the Preggos & Mommies

10 – First foods for your baby – Your baby’s holiday meal 16 – How to create a professional family photo – Eleven tips to capture the perfect photo

Expert Advice

14 – Career Momma – Keep the jingle in your holidays – Mixing the right ingredients for your dough

19 – Move of the Month – How to sculpt svelte shoulders

22 – Ask the Pediatrician – Spit up. What’s

normal, and when should I be concerned?

FIRST FOODS A simple guide to your baby’s first foods

10

ON THE COVER Photographer Elisabeth Nixon shares 11 tips on how to create your own professional photo! Timing, clothing, props, lighting, surroundings, craziness, and NO MORE CHEESE!

16

GIFT GUIDE Our favorite items for your kids

12

You focus on the moment.

The arrival of your newborn is a moment to be cherished.

We understand your birth wishes are as unique as your baby’s footprint, so our obstetricians, neonatologists and experienced nurses take a tailored approach to your delivery. Should the need arise, our NICU is here for babies who require a helping hand. From labor and pain management decisions to must-have meals — our Birth Experience Team care for you and dad’s needs too. So you can focus on your baby,

We’ll focus on everything else.

Central Florida’s only boutique hospital for women and babies.

Amy Smith Photography

WPMH-12-9822

For a personalized tour or to learn more about our physicians call the Birth ExperienceTeam at (407) 646-7200 or visit WinterParkHospital.com.

babyourself LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

babyourself Volume 3, Issue 6 ~

We get it

Holiday 2012

www.babyourself.com www.facebook.com/babyourself www.twitter.com/babyourself

It’s a little hard to believe that two years ago the first issue of Babyourself Magazine was shared with the mommas of Central Florida. I am continually humbled by how a group of moms came together to share their stories – moms just like you – who all deal with such similar issues during this stage of life.

We struggle with sleep schedules, we celebrate our little one’s milestones, we balance crazy schedules, we support each other over the news of a miscarriage, a struggling family situation, or heart-breaking health issue. It’s pretty amazing how we, as moms, “get it.” And I truly believe that’s what makes Babyourself unique and who we are today. We’re a community of moms whose hearts are linked, now matter what this phase of motherhood throws at us!

As we approach the holidays this season, I hope the articles within this issue will be helpful and encouraging. On page 9, Vickie shares some of her ideas on how to get your kids involved in the holiday food preparation, along with a number of her great recipes!

EDITOR IN CHIEF kristi corley

CREATIVE DIRECTOR elisabeth nixon

EDITORS jennifer hatcher elisabeth myrick

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS greg gordon, m.d. jennifer hatcher katie miller witter vickie myers

The holiday gift guide is an annual tradition, and this year we chose to focus on gifts for your kids! Elisabeth, our creative director and photographer, gives some photography tips on how to capture the perfect photo on page 16.

elisabeth myrick

There’s also fitness tips from our exercise guru Jackie – her “Move of the Month” will get your shoulders looking sleek and slender for your holiday dress! And finally our “Career Momma” gives some excellent advice on how to keep the jingle in your holidays!

elisabeth nixon photography

The Facebook interactions are pretty amazing each and every week, so be sure to “like” our page and become part of a great community of moms! Be sure to introduce yourself so I can jump in and say hello!

jackie vega

PHOTOGRAPHY WEB AND DESIGN andy corley

From the bottom of my heart, I want to wish you a joyous and memorable holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. Savor each and every moment with your loved ones!

Kristi Corley editor in chief kristi@babyourself.com

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babyourself LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY ELISABETH NIXON PHOTOGRAPHY

Including your kids in your holiday food preparations can be as

easy as pie by vickie myers

8

babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

Chocolate cream and “lemon meringue” pies 1 box pie crust 1 box chocolate pudding 1 box lemon pudding Whipped topping Follow directions for pie on the pudding boxes.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles in the dough. Gently press into muffin tins. Bake according to the pie crust box until lightly brown.

Cool completely. Fill with pudding and top with whipped topping.

How to use your Thanksgiving leftovers Individual turkey pot pies Cut out circles of pie dough. Press into muffin tins. Fill with leftover mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy and some frozen peas and carrots. Put another circle of pie dough over the top and press the dough together at the edges to seal. Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top of pot pies are lightly brown.

Individual turkey quiche Cut out circles of pie dough. Press into muffin tins. Fill each cup with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese; use your favorite kind, and 1 tablespoon of leftover turkey chopped in small pieces.

Pour 2-3 tablespoons of egg whites mixed with ½ tablespoon of half and half or light cream over the cheese and turkey. Bake at 400 for 15–20 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

Cranberry apple crisp 8 cups of tart apples, peeled and sliced 1 can whole berry cranberries ½ cup sugar 1 Tablespoon flour Place apples into a 9” x 13” baking dish. Mix flour with sugar and sprinkle onto apples. Pour can of cranberries onto the apples.

Topping: 1 cup of oats 1/3 cup of butter ½ cup brown sugar ¾ cup of flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts Mix together and sprinkle over the apple and cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Raspberry lemon meringue cobbler (bottom left) 1 16-oz package frozen raspberries ¾ cup of sugar Evenly spread the raspberries into a 9” x 13” pan. Sprinkle the berries with sugar.

1 ½ cup of sugar 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon corn starch 1 ½ cup of water 3 egg yolks 3 Tablespoons of butter 1/3–1/2 cup lemon juice (depends on how tart you like things) In a saucepan mix the sugar with the cornstarch and add the water while stirring. Cook over medium heat until mixture is boiling. Stir and boil for one minute. Add half the hot mixture to the egg yolks, stirring until blended.

Add the egg mixture back into the sauce pan and bring back to a boil.

Boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat and add butter and lemon juice. Stir until blended. Pour lemon mixture over the raspberries. ½ cup of butter softened 1 cup sugar 1 cup flour ¼ cup milk 3 egg whites, beaten until stiff Mix together butter, sugar and flour.

Fold in the beaten egg whites. Evenly spread over the raspberry and lemon mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Your Baby’s Holiday Meal!

by Kristi Corley

Introducing solid foods is an exciting milestone in the first year of your baby's life. It's also a “photo-op moment” and sometimes an “outfit changing moment” as well! I remember when I introduced rice cereal to my first baby. I had no idea what I was doing and I am certain more food ended up on her bib than in her tummy! But over the course of time with three children, I became quite the master at avoiding the messes and triumphed at the sight of a clean bib!

It's fairly common around the time that your baby is 3-4 months, to begin to ask, "When should I start feeding my baby solid food?" There are a lot of differing opinions as to when you should begin and what foods you should start with, so talk with your pediatrician about what is best for you and your baby.

Most pediatricians recommend starting solid food around 6 months.

Before this age, breastmilk or formula provides all the nutrition your baby needs. Adding solid food around 6 months is beneficial for your baby to expose them to flavors and textures. It is also suggested that around 6 months, your baby needs more iron, and so the addition of solid food helps to give them the vitamins and minerals they need.

First foods! A common first food for your baby is a single grain iron-enriched infant cereal. Rice cereal is a good choice to start with because it is easy to digest and it carries a very low risk of allergic reaction. You may also try other whole grains like oatmeal and barley cereals. Your pediatrician may advise you to avoid wheat cereals until your baby is a bit older, since wheat is more likely to cause an allergic reaction. Other age-appropriate first foods include fruits and vegetables like peaches, apricots, green beans, peas, avocado, and banana. Make sure to introduce one at a time and wait about three days to watch for signs of allergy or reactions such as rash, diarrhea or vomiting. If you suspect a problem, stop feeding the new food and consult your pediatrician. You may also find that your baby’s skin may “turn the color” of the food you are feeding them, especially orange foods!

10

babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

Add texture! After a few weeks of her first food, begin to introduce more flavors. Then, you’ll add protein foods to the mix. The younger your baby is when you start solids, the smoother and thinner the texture of her first foods should be. By the time she’s around 7 months or so, she will likely be used to taking smoothly pureed foods and will probably be ready for more variety of textures, including lumpy purees or mashed foods. Gradually adding new textures will help her development of mouth skills like moving food around the mouth, chewing motions, and safely swallowing. By 8 or 9 months you can introduce chopped soft foods and finger foods. And, before long she’ll be feeding herself!

As your baby begins to try more solid foods, be aware of any reactions they may have. One of the most obvious places on their bodies to notice a reaction is on their skin. Here are a few guidelines on when to introduce foods that carry a higher risk of allergic reaction: • •

• • • •

Wheat — Usually by 8 months.

Milk — Milk products like yogurt and cheese are usually okay by 8 months. For all babies, regardless of allergy risk, wait until 1 year to give cow’s milk for drinking, as it can be more difficult for babies to digest and should never replace breastmilk or infant formula, which is a richer source of nutrients for babies.

Soy — Most babies can tolerate soy by 8 to 9 months.

Fish and Shellfish — Most babies can tolerate mild fish after 9 months. High-risk babies may need to delay shellfish and fish until 2 years or older.

Egg Whites — Ask your pediatrician — most babies will tolerate before 1 year; high-risk babies may need to wait until 1 year to introduce.

Nuts and Peanuts — These foods cause the most severe allergic reactions so your pediatrician may advise you to wait until 2 years old to introduce, especially if your baby is considered high-risk for food allergies.

babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

11

Elisabeth and Jennifer’s

Holiday Gift Guide 2012

Laugh & Lear n™ Lear ning Paintbr ush

$16.00

The world is a colorful place, and baby will love being in control of the color-change “magic” with this paintbrush! Paint imaginary rainbows while learning about colors, shapes, numbers, opposites, greetings and more. Requires 2 AA batteries. fisher-price.com

A-Maze Rain Rush

$12.99

You'll be singing, marching, shaking and dancing in the rain. 42 colorful wooden marbles fall like rain. Smooth wooden craftsmanship loves little hands. Gorgeous handstained wood turns a toy into art beautiful enough to leave out on your coffee table. target.com

Jake and the Never Land Pirates Jake's Musical Pirate Ship Bucky Play Set

$39.99

D U KTIG Toolbelt with soft toys, multicolor

$9.99 Encourages role play; children develop social skills by imitating grown-ups and inventing their own roles. ikea.com

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babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

Shiver me timbers! Set sail for fantasy with Jake's deluxe musical pirate ship, Bucky!

This funtime pirate galleon

by Fisher-Price is ship-shape, featuring realistic rolling action, firing cannons, a popout Crocodile and more than 25 sounds! toysrus.com

Rusty the Robot $11.99 Full of developmental features that capture baby's imagination and stimulate the senses. Two sides of play! Rusty's ratcheting head allows you to mix and match his body. Features crinkle, ribbons, clanking rings, busy beads, and a discovery mirror. Lamaze link attaches to play mats, diaper bags, and strollers for on-the-go fun. target.com Captain Calamari $11.99 Captain Calamari is full of developmental features that capture baby's imagination and stimulate the senses. His crinkle hat rewards baby with sound, as do the clacking rings on his "tentacles"--each which feature soothing knots. Captain also has a rattle and a surprise mirror. target.com

Doc McStuffins Figure Play Set $24.99 The Doc is in! Time for a check-up with Doc McStuffins and her patients Lambie, Stuffy, and Chilly. Place them on the table and hear them talk! Once they're done, Doc sends them on their way for another day of play. toysrus.com

Piggy Paint $8.99/bottle or gift sets up to $114.99 A natural, eco-friendly nail polish designed for fancy girls, Piggy Paint is nontoxic, hypoallergenic and safe to use on all piggies. It dries to a hard, durable finish that can easily be removed with our eco-friendly, low odor Piggy Paint nail polish remover. Made in the USA and available in an assortment of gift sets perfect for Holidays and other special occasions. Say good-bye to harsh, smelly chemicals and hello to Piggy Paint – it's as Natural as Mud®! piggypaint.com

Family presents – passes to Disney, Sea World, Universal, Central Florida Zoo

advice from our

Enjoying the holidays AND feeling in control with all the family gatherings, festivities, eating, and spending can be a challenge – ‘tis the season, right? Ditching bad habits and establishing (and sticking to) new ones is the first step in getting a handle on your behavior ... the greatest challenge for most is staying focused, disciplined, and intentional with your DOUGH. Spending has a lot in common with eating: both are about consumption, both require money, and too much of either can lead to serious problems. Women make up 80 percent of all consumer spending in the United States, 60 percent of all online purchases (22 percent of us shop online at least once per day), and, on average, spend 8.5 years of our lives shopping ... a recipe for breakdowns unless we plan and take effective action now.

Creating wealth is about saving a portion of what you earn, which means do not spend it, and then invest what you have saved – wisely. With saving and investing, good habits and behavior are a great way to amass real wealth.

Don’t be captivated by the latest know-itall “experts” in the media; instead be on purpose with your plan, stay disciplined and success will follow. Behavior matters. It may take years for your seeds of good habits to produce the fruits of success, but no one becomes wealthy overnight or without disciplines and intentions to do so. Real life isn’t like what we see on television.

JINGLE HOLIDAYS keep the

Career Momma in your

mixing the right ingredients for your dough

by Katie Miller Witter

Ingredients to plump up your dough:

Take a big pinch of focus - Prepare a household budget, plan, and act.

Sift in your desired financial outcomes - You must know what you want in order to plan how to achieve it.

Stir in heaping spoonfuls of time to get involved by learning - Boosting your financial acumen will go a long way toward increasing your confidence in your ability to make good financial decisions.

Sprinkle in dashes of reminders that every decision has a consequence (a dollar saved is more than a dollar earned).

Add a dollop of patience - Positive results will emerge over time.

Fold in a sizable portion of balance - You need to balance the various dimensions of your life. Completely neglecting one dimension for another only leads to long-term frustration and stress.

Pour in positive influences - You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with.

Set it and don’t forget it - Financial confidence looks fabulous on every woman!

Mix thoroughly and blend daily into your life. This recipe can bring satisfaction, fulfillment, and keep you full, well past the holiday season and empower you to live a life well lived!

Understanding your personal finances and investments now can help prevent crises down the road. The right ingredients now produce the full potential of your dough.

Katie Miller Witter, co-owner of Financial Harvest Wealth Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisor Firm located in Winter Park, has more than ten years of investment advisory experience and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP®) Candidate and CERTIFIED SUCCESSION PLANNER™. She obtained her Bachelors of Science in Business Finance & Marketing from the University of Florida and her Masters of Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College. She serves on the Crummer Alumni Board, Downtown Orlando YMCA Board, and is a graduate of Leadership Winter Park and Leadership Orlando. Katie is married and lives with her husband, David, and son Will, in Winter Park, Florida. Katie can be reached at 407.937.0707 or katie@financialharvest.com 14

babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

Early Education Works

Study after study has shown that dollar for dollar, investment in early childhood education has the greatest impact on outcomes for kids.

Pre-kindergarten increases readiness for kindergarten by 80 percent, increases graduation rates by 45 to 65 percent, increases basic achievement at age 14 by 300 percent, increases earnings over a child’s lifetime and reduces frequency of arrests by onethird, according to statistics cited by the Alliance for Quality Education.

Sounds like a solid investment in the future workforce of Central Florida and our nation, right?

With your tax deductible contributions we are able to provide: •

Subsidized child care for working poor families so their children can have access to high-quality early care and education

•

The free Voluntary PreK (VPK) program which prepares all 4-year-olds for kindergarten regardless of income

•

Birth to Five Quality Enhancement Campaign provides early education staff with extensive professional development, tuition scholarships and numerous free curriculum training

•

Child Care Resource & Referral hotline for parents who are looking for child care referrals

•

Books to children for in-home libraries

Here’s how you can help: The Early Learning Coalition of Orange County is a nonprofit that works with to ensure all Orange County children enter school ready to learn.

For more information about the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County and early education, please visit our website at www.elcoc.org

DIY How to create your own professional photo! from photographer

Elisabeth Nixon Consider clothes

And I don’t just mean coordinating them.

Consider the weather and the outfit you have planned. Will she sweat and be miserable? Maybe rethink the corduroy and sweater. Does your daughter HATE shoes?

Perhaps she goes barefoot in the photo this year! Clothing is not nearly as important as your child’s happiness – and if you know there’s something that will bring your little one absolute joy to wear (like that horrid red tutu!), maybe it’s worth having the look of happiness in exchange for a bit of red fluff in the picture.

Props to the rescue!

It’s that time of year – the time when you frantically call around to find a photographer to take family photos. What?

They’re already booked? It’s only November!

Yes, it’s true – most photographers are already doing holiday photo sessions, and some might even be done. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take some awesome pictures yourself if you can’t find a professional to help you!

As a professional photographer, I get asked a lot of questions in regards to photography.

Here are a few things to help you get MORE out of the pictures you take of your kids.

Timing is everything

You know your child best. When is his happiest time of the day? First thing in the morning? After a nap and a snack? Just before bed when he’s full of energy and silliness?

Find the time of day when your child is at his best and take advantage of it. I would not respond well if you woke me at 4 a.m. and proceeded to dress me up and make goofy faces in an attempt to get me to smile. Nope, ain’t gonna happen! Keep that in mind as you choose a time to photograph your kids.

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babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

Stuffed animals, a ball, a wagon, a tricycle, a simple chair – it doesn’t JUST have to be something to hold. It can be something to do! My favorite pictures of my son include his most recent Lego masterpiece. And he is one HAPPY dude in those pictures! Those smiles are genuine and they make my heart melt. Ice cream (albeit messy!) is a FUN and “I can’t believe mom is letting us do this!” kind of prop. Lollipops or jars of colorful candies not only add color to your image but can help keep your munchkin occupied and interested. I’ve been known to carry little “friends” in my pockets – tiny stuffed animals who pop out every once in a while to “talk” to my kids. It’s just enough to distract them, yet again, and give me a few seconds of grins to take advantage of.

Get down

I know you’ve heard this, but I’ll say it again.

Get DOWN. Get down on their eye level – lay down if you have to – but change the perspective that you are shooting in and immediately you’ll have their attention. Your toddler may decide this is a great time to run over and hug you, and that’s OK! Make a game of it. “Thanks for the hug, sweetie!

Now run back to your brother and hug him!”

So what if they’re not looking AT the camera – they’re both smiling and they’re hugging – isn’t that even better?

Light up their eyes

You know those amazing sparkling eyes in so many photos? Yep, some of them are photoshopped, and I hope you can tell which ones are, because there’s a really easy way to achieve this naturally without an expensive program.

And I’m going to give you the secret. Face your children TOWARDS the light. Wherever the light is coming from, don’t turn their backs to it. Face it! Now, I don’t mean make them squint into bright sunlight. You probably want to find some nice open shade, where it’s even and bright but not in the direct sunlight.

But turn their squishy little faces towards the source of light and BOOM – those eyes light up with beautiful re-directed light! Try having your kids sit on the ground and look UP at you. They will be looking up toward the sky and their eyes will reflect the sky and sparkle.

squinting eyes (some people are super sensitive to bright light and they honestly can’t help it!) and, again, turn off that flash!

Get close and FILL that frame!

It’s a nice picture of little Joe. Too bad we can’t tell it’s Joe because he’s so tiny in the picture. This is NOT the time to sit back and shoot pictures like a sniper. Get up close and all personal-like. Fill the frame with their beautiful faces! This also makes it easier for you to interact and play with them. You can’t do that from far away!

Peek-a-boo behind the camera is SOOO much more fun when you are only a couple feet away.

Capture the crazy

So your three-year-old is running circles around the 9-monthold. Keeping up with kids is exhausting enough without trying to photograph them too! Your poor camera will be working in overtime too – trying to freeze all of that motion. In order to do that, you need a faster shutter speed. Now’s a great time to dig out that camera manual because this isn’t a hard concept! If you have a point-and-shoot camera and you don’t know how to do that, I’m going to make this really easy for you. Have you ever seen the Mode of the little guy running? (I like to think he’s running AWAY from something scary, like a bear.) That’s the mode you want. It means your camera will shoot in a continuous mode. Click, click, click – as fast as it possibly can. (Which may not be THAT fast in a point-and-shoot, but it’s better than nothing!)

Have a conversation and play!

If your kids are talking, get them going on something they love. The current topics in my house? Minnie Mouse for the 3-year-old, horses for the 7-year-old and Legos for the 9-year-old. I only have to mention those things to get them going. Sure, I have pictures of them talking to me – but I am ready for their smiles when I ask a silly question like “Does Minnie Mouse live at the North Pole?” And if conversation doesn’t work for you – play, Mama, play! Have you ever heard of a kid saying, “No mom, I’d rather not have you get down and play with me!

Could you please go back to your Facebook and ignore me?” Nah, they’ll love it! And they’ll reward you with their gorgeous personalities as you photograph them.

Shoot, shoot and shoot some more

No more cheese

You know what “cheese” I am referring to. Yes. THE Cheese.

Please, please, try to wipe this phrase from your vocabulary – ”Say CHEEEESE!!!!” Why? Because I said so. OK that’s not good enough but, seriously, quit it. As moms, the smiles and emotions that we want on their faces are REAL ones, not plastic and plastered CHEESE faces.

So be silly, be crazy, be whatever you have to be for that genuine smile or that giggly laugh. It’ll be worth the extra effort, I promise.

Hey – it’s the digital age! You’re not paying for each picture you take, so take LOTS. You can always delete later! And when you only do this a couple of times a year, you might need the added grace of 500 photos to choose from. The more you practice, the faster you’ll get, and the better you’ll get, and the less you will need to take – but in the meantime, fire away!

Be aware of your surroundings

There’s nothing worse than getting home and looking at your pictures to see, “Oh Dang! Henry has a pole coming out of his head!” Or maybe, like me, you didn’t see the giant bright orange trash can behind your kids. I SWEAR I had no idea it was in every single picture! Well, save yourself some heartache and look around. Are there any weird and distracting things going on around you? For you, as a photographer, you want to make sure you pick a place with no distractions IN the picture. (No trash cans, no socks on the floor, etc.) For your kids, perhaps the place to do these pictures is NOT right across the street from the ice cream truck. Could there be ANYTHING more distracting for them than that?

Natural light trumps flash

And I only mean that in THIS regard. (A word to other professional photographers so they don’t hate on me, I’m talking about flash photography in the sense of that teeny, tiny light bulb that sends light straight into their faces!) But yes – in this case, natural light is what you want. Turn OFF the flash and if you can’t get the picture without blur, go find MORE light! If you’re using that tiny pop-up flash on your camera, you are getting “deer in the headlight” type pictures. Using the light that is all around you is MUCH more flattering. Do keep an eye out for weird shadows on faces – if you see it on their face you will photograph it on their face. Watch

for

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IN

ZINE

babyourself MOVE OF THE MONTH

How to sculpt

Svelte Shoulders

by Jackie Vega

Imagine a sparkly dress with spaghetti straps or an open back, satin evening gown. Then imagine toned shoulders and a beautiful v-shaped look from behind.

And imagine, too, improving your posture and increasing your strength, making it easier to continually lift your little one in and out of the crib and car seat or just merely putting away groceries!

This is what a simple shoulder and upper back move can do for you!

Begin on a comfortable surface (yoga mat, carpet or blanket) facedown on your belly.

and sweep back up into an “I.” Hold each letter position for a beat before going right into the next position.

Engage your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine. Then stretch out your arms overhead, palms facing each other. This is your “ I ” position.

After you have repeated the sequence 12-15 times, rest for 30-60 seconds. Then repeat 3 times.

You will hold that position for a beat and gracefully move your arms into a “ Y ”, then to a “ T ”, into a “ W ”,

Important: If you are pregnant, you can perform the arm movements while seated on a stability ball or in a standing position. Do not lie on your belly.

Jackie Vega is the owner of – and a personal trainer at – Your Personal Wellness. She is certified by the American Council on Exercise (NCCA accredited company) and a nutritionist, with a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Kansas State University and dietetics internship through Iowa State University. Jackie is married with two children, ages four and six, and her busy family life has drawn her specialties towards pre/postnatal, children and families, and mentoring mommys and mommies-to-be toward fit pregnancies and achieving that pre-baby physique! You can find her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter (FitFab2bRD) and read her blog at www.fitandfabulousmommas.blogspot.com.

You can also contact her via email at livingfitnesslife@yahoo.com, or by phone at 407-353-6929. babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

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babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

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Spitting up

by Dr. Gregory Gordon

All babies spit up, but few need medical treatment. It is important to differentiate normal spitting up from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

Normal spit-up is non-projectile vomiting of white to yellowish, often curdled, milk in a happy child who continues to grow well. This spitup often looks like a large amount and may soak the baby and their parent. Projectile vomiting, on the other hand, sprays out with force and can be a sign of a more severe problem.

GERD is the extreme form of spitting up. Spitting up becomes a medical problem when it affects an individual’s growth or causes pain.

Parents often report their child “spits up everything he eats.” While it may look like this to the concerned parent, most babies only spit up a fraction of their milk. Try pouring a few ounces of milk on your floor or a burp cloth. You will quickly see that an amount of normal spit-up is not the full feeding. If the child continues to grow well, I am not concerned about the reported volume of spit up. In my pediatric practice I have yet to see a child who spit up so much they did not gain weight.

The more common treatable concern with GERD is fussiness. When acid from the stomach comes up into a child’s esophagus, it can cause inflammation and pain. It is important to note that not all patients with GERD visibly spit up. As long as the acid travels up the esophagus it can cause the pain and fussiness of GERD. Symptoms include general fussiness, spitting up, increased fussiness when lying flat and arching the back.

Why do so many babies spit up?

When adults or older children eat, a muscle at the top of the stomach called the lower esophageal sphincter tightens and prohibits the stomach contents from going into the esophagus. Babies universally have poorly-developed lower esophageal sphincters and therefore all have some degree of gastroesophageal reflux. Fortunately, as children age, this usually resolves naturally.

To evaluate for GERD, many physicians will order an upper GI. This is a radiology study done after a child drinks barium then serial x-rays are taken. The test lasts only 5 to 10 minutes. Some physicians wrongly consider this the diagnostic test for GERD. It is possible that a child with severe GERD may not show any episodes during the short study time. In my opinion, upper GIs are overused and not needed to diagnose most cases of GERD. The diagnosis is made on history, physical exam and response to treatment.

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Treatment of GERD in infants Universal GERD recommendations: * Holding the infant upright for 30 minutes after feeding. * Burping frequently during feeds. * Elevating the head of their bed, so that they sleep at a 30-degree angle.

Severe cases of GERD may require:

Adding rice cereal to the child’s milk. This obviously requires more effort if the child is breastfeeding. The idea is increased viscosity can keep the milk in the stomach. Medical research shows to make a significant difference you need to add at least one tablespoon of rice per ounce of milk. This amount of rice is impractical, as it is difficult if not impossible to pass this through a nipple. When I do recommend adding rice cereal, I start at one teaspoon per ounce of milk. Even with a third less rice cereal, parents often have to widen the nipple.

Zantac or other acid-preventing medication. When children with GERD are fussy, I often prescribe Zantac. Zantac and other similar medications decrease the amount of acid produced in the stomach. For patients with reflux, less acid should mean less pain and fussiness. These acid-preventing medications do not reduce the amount a child spits up, but they should reduce a GERD patient’s pain.

In pediatrics, the vast majority of cases of GERD will get better with time. As children grow, their diet becomes less liquid, they learn to walk upright and their stomach musculature (lower esophageal sphincter) matures. These factors lead to GERD symptoms naturally resolving between 6 to 18 months of age.

Dr. Gregory Gordon grew up in Gainesville, Florida. He attended the University of Florida for both his undergraduate and medical degrees. After he completed his pediatric residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, he joined Pediatric Associates of Orlando. Dr. Gordon is the proud father of seven children. He is the Vice President of “The Gift of Swimming” (a local charity that provides swim lessons to Orlando’s needy children). In early 2010, encouraged by his patients, he started gregorygordonmd.com to share his pediatric and parenting experience.

babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

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Brain Tumors Are Her Specialty.

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Every year, families across Central Florida must face the unthinkable—the diagnosis of a pediatric brain tumor.

But from this hurt comes hope. When families discover that Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children is home to Dr. Amy Smith, one of the leading pediatric neuro-oncologists in the nation, uncertainty turns to trust. It’s one of the many reasons that our hospital has been the leader in children’s healthcare for more than twenty years. Doing what’s best for our patients and families has always been our priority.

Learn more about Dr. Amy Smith and the only comprehensive Pediatric Brain Tumor Program in Florida at ArnoldPalmerHospital.com

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babyourself.com • Holiday 2012

Amy Smith, MD Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist