September 2016 by Minnesota Parent

September 2016

the

baby issue

(the joy and pain of multiples) ( why the post-birth breast crawl matters) ( 5 tricky sleep habits) ( baby resources )

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Aubrey and Lyla, 2 weeks old, Lino Lakes

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

VOLUME 31

ISSUE 9

Get more rest by trying some our top tips for the most common sticky sleep situations.

Mother-baby bonding in the first hour after birth should be part of any birth plan.

Page 58

Zombies no more! 8 FROM THE EDITOR

Skin on skin

16 SCHOOL DAYS

BABY RESOURCES

24 ON BEHAVIOR

Staying awake

Rough and tumble

Learning delays

If all you want to do is get more sleep during the early years, you’re not alone!

Play fighting is good for children. Just be sure to set some boundaries.

Repetition — and believing in your child — are two ways to stay the course.

10 CHATTER

18 TEENS AND TWEENS

26 IN THE KITCHEN

Shop around

Feeling ‘angsty’

You’re golden

The Mall of America is now home to a drop-in child-care center near Sears.

Teen huff can come at any time. But I’m determined to get through it with grace.

Sick of frozen nuggets? Try these homemade, oven-baked bites.

12 BABY ON BOARD

20 GROWS ON TREES

28 BOOKSHELF

Dad speaks

Squirrel it away

Baby stories

What’s it like when a Dad’s preconceived notions of postpartum are obliterated?

Spending is easy, but if you know a few tricks, saving can be simple, too.

Parents of infants, these board books are for you.

14 TODDLER TIME

Mommy cliches

22 ASK THE PEDIATRICIAN

Puberty at age 8?

66 FROM OUR READERS

I’m tired of all the stereotypes about mothers, especially the ones about wine.

Yep. That’s when it starts, but it may not arrive exactly in the ways you’d expect.

Check out our Facebook fans’ not-so-secret lives with pets and kids.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Bow wow

SEPTEMBER 2016

YMCA PART-TIME PRESCHOOL AND PRE-K ENRICHMENT

MoMs tell all Mothers of multiples are on the rise. Check out their advice (and photos)!

60 Out & About

YMCA Preschool develops skills for classroom readiness; socially, emotionally, physical and cognitively through hands on activities. Children develop a passion for learning and experience a true sense of achievement:

TODDLERS 24 – 36 MONTHS* Woodbury Location AGES 3 – 5 YEARS ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

A variety of enrichment activities are offered at no additional cost.

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Language Swimming

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Kids’ Fitness Music & Movement

About our cover kids Names: Aubrey Jane and Lyla Jo

City: Lino Lakes Parents: Karen and Paul Kartman Born: May 2016 at Maple Grove Hospital Weights at birth: Aubrey, 5 pounds, 10 ounces; Lyla, 5 pounds, 9 ounces Sibling: Colby, 4 Personalities so far: Aubrey and Lyla love to smile and adore their big brother. The girls enjoy being held and going for long walks in the stroller. Both girls are easy-going, love to eat and are already trying to keep up with big brother. Photos by Sarah Rolf / Agape Moments Photography / agapemoments.net

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YMCA IN WOODBURY 2175 Radio Drive Woodbury, MN 55125 P: 651-739-6596

ymcamn.org Membership not required for enrollment.

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mnparent.com • September 2016

FROM THE EDITOR mnparent.com

PUBLISHER Janis Hall jhall@mnparent.com SALES MANAGER AND CO-PUBLISHER Terry Gahan tgahan@mnparent.com EDITOR Sarah Jackson 612-436-4385 • editor@mnparent.com CONTRIBUTORS Eric Braun, Jamie Crowson, Megan Devine, Dr. Kimara Gustafson, Rachel Guyah, Jennifer Schwertfeger, Shannon Keough, Jen Wittes, Jennifer Wizbowski CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dana Croatt dcroatt@mnparent.com SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Valerie Moe GRAPHIC DESIGNER Amanda Wadeson CLIENT SERVICES Delaney Patterson 612-436-5070 • dpatterson@mnpubs.com CIRCULATION Marlo Johnson 612-436-4388 • distribution@mnparent.com mnparent.com/find-a-copy ADVERTISING 612-436-4360 • sales@mnparent.com 50,000 copies of Minnesota Parent are printed monthly, available at news stands statewide. Get Minnesota Parent mailed to your home for just $12 a year. Call 612-825-9205 for more information.

Minnesota Parent (ISSN 0740 3437) is published monthly by Minnesota Premier Publications. POSTMASTER send address changes to: MINNESOTA PARENT, 1115 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55403. Minnesota Parent is copyright 2016 by Minnesota Premier Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Address all material to address above.

Wide awake W

elcome to our annual Baby Issue! Whether you’re feeding a newborn right this very second, patting your belly in anticipation of a very important arrival or maybe even getting ready to welcome your first grandchild, this issue is for you! I expect the most-read article this month will be our sleep story, outlining five different types of infant sleepers. Do you have a Houdini, a night owl, a cat napper, a rockaholic or an early bird? Oh my gosh: When my son was an infant, I think I had ALL FIVE! Photo by Tracy Walsh / tracywalshphoto.com All I wanted was sleep in those early days! Alas, I was blessed with a 5 a.m. riser. In the beginning, we fought it with everything we had — later bedtimes, earlier bedtimes, more napping, less napping, more food, less food, bath, no bath, black-out shades, white noise, you name it. Did some of those things help? Well, I suppose they did, a little. And if that gave us a feeling of getting even five more minutes of sleep, you bet it was worth it! But did we ever really find the answer? No. In the end, our son had a default setting of early bird. I gradually learned I would forever wistfully sigh when my friends mentioned 7, 8 or even 9 a.m. wakings — as we endured year after year of 5 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. There was no answer but acceptance. The only way out of it was through it. (And if I’m honest, his Dad did most of the early weekend shifts.) I also told myself that, unlike all the other moms, I was getting EXTRA time with my child, more of a parenting life (however out of balance it felt sometimes with my dreams of sleep). Today, our son — mostly due to later bedtimes and perhaps physical maturity — is an 8-year-old who sleeps until 6 or, oh my, 6:30. And, on the weekends, he now gets up and watches TV without me while I doze. It’s heavenly! But sometimes I just get up and start the day with him, especially if he asks. He won’t be in my home forever and I don’t want to miss out. Sweet dreams!

Sarah Jackson, Editor

September 2016 • mnparent.com

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CHATTER

SCIENCE MUSEUM UPDATES! Heads up: The Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul will be closed from Sept. 6 to 9 and Sept. 12 to 16 for annual maintenance. Technicians will use the time to tune up the exhibit galleries and the Omnitheater for the fall and winter seasons. Upcoming events at the museum include: ⊲⊲Playdates: Every Tuesday between 10 a.m. and noon, the museum offers preschool-appropriate activities to keep little hands busy and young minds buzzing. Tickets include admission to the galleries, a take-home science experiment, preschooler-oriented Science Live performances and demonstrations and discounts on food and merchandise. See smm.org/playdates.

Childcare at MOA Date night, anyone? Girls’ night? Guys’ night? How about just a little “you” time? Drop N’ Shop — an entertainment center for children — is now open at the Mall of America and offering drop-in childcare for ages 6 weeks to 12 years. Located on Level 3 at Sears Court, the facility offers activities such as Zumba and yoga for kids, arts and crafts, movie days, pajama Fridays and more, all coordinated by screened staff members. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays. Two-hour fees range from $15 for one child to $55 for four or more kids, Monday through Thursday, and $20 to $65, Friday through Sunday. Adding a third hour is an additional $10 Monday through Thursday and $20 Friday through Sunday. Parents are advised to bring kids fed and diapered. Food and beverages aren’t provided, and parents will be called back to the center to take care of any diaper changes that are needed. Learn more and register at dropnshopce.com.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

⊲⊲Play Tinker Make: These periodic events — coming up Sept. 3 and Oct. 1, 8 and 15 — let museum visitors use a variety of materials, tools and technologies to explore and create with design- and play-based activities.

⊲⊲Cardboard Gallery: Starting Oct. 19, the museum will fill 3,500 square feet of space with cardboard boxes of all shapes and sizes, plus an assortment of tools and connectors. Visitors of all ages can assemble forts, create creatures, design mazes and construct rocket ships and more. (Last year during the holidays, the museum offered a similar attraction, and it was so popular that the staff decided to do it again — and for a longer stretch!) ⊲⊲More events: Check out Fossil Day on Oct. 22, a Boo-ology Halloween event on Oct. 29 and a Girls, Science & Technology event on Nov. 12.

Child-care equity? T

he postpartum period tends to be all about the baby and the mother — as it should be! But what about the father or co-parent? What’s that experience like? To give you one man’s point of view, I asked my husband, Nick Hook, to provide his take on the topic for this month’s column. Here’s what he had to say:

⊲⊲Nick speaks Before the birth of our first child, I had rose-colored visions of sharing child-related duties equitably with my wife/partner. Living in Progressisota in a smugberhood near Lake Calhoun, I was confident I was going to be so progressive, so supportive, that all the other parents would sit up and take notice of how Shannon and I had eschewed traditional childcare gender roles. I daydreamed about all the reusable diapers I was going to change. I fantasized about taking my cooing baby girl on long walks through the bird sanctuary at Lake Harriet to afford Shannon the requisite alone time needed for her emotional well-being. I pompously envisioned how I would help impart to Lydia the lesson that, in this day and age, dudes can (and should!) play an equal role in child-rearing activities.

⊲⊲The dream I knew there were some obstacles to achieving this utopia of balance.

For instance, I realized Shannon would probably end up doing most of the actual breastfeeding; but even that situation seemed easily remedied: Shannon would simply take a few minutes to pump an extra bottle or two before settling in for a relaxing eight hours of sleep each night. Then I would wake up to the plaintive little wail — an adorable whimper, really — signaling that my angel felt peckish. I’d saunter down to the kitchen, heat the natural, immune-boosting elixir that is my wife’s refrigerated breastmilk, snuggle up with my girl and just bond the night away! Such were my thoughts before Lydia entered our world.

⊲⊲The reality What actually happened? Lydia was colicky from the get-go. She could (and did) scream impressively during the vast majority of her waking hours for the first three months of her existence. She was not a happy newborn. She had trouble breastfeeding from day one. If one attempted to set Lydia down — even for a minute — between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., she would scream until her face turned blue while waving her arms around, spastically swatting invisible demons away. I remember swaddling her as tightly as I could one night and then watching, horrified, as she worked her skinny little hand up through the swaddling so that it exited the wraps under her chin, like a zombie’s hand

She worked her skinny little hand up through the swaddling so that it exited the wraps under her chin, like a zombie’s hand coming out of a grave.

BABY STUFF

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September 2016 • mnparent.com

coming out of a grave. Basically, none of us slept at all for three months.

⊲⊲Grotesquely traditional Needless to say, all my progressive ideals about gender equity in childcare fell away immediately. Shannon (who I still owe big time!) woke up for virtually all of the night feedings during those early days. I did my share of 2 a.m. marching-around-thekitchen-bouncing-Lydia-while-blastingStereolab shifts (the only thing that sometimes kept her from screaming for a few moments). It was not the snuggly little bond-fest I’d imagined. Then every morning I’d trudge off to work, just like Ward Cleaver, to bring home the proverbial bacon. My paycheck was the one thing of value I could actually deliver for my wife and newborn child at this juncture. I distinctly remember thinking at one point, “Our lives are grotesquely traditional right now and there’s virtually nothing we can do about it.”

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⊲⊲Sleep and snuggling Luckily, the situation basically fixed itself. Lydia’s colic dispersed after three months — no thanks to any diet alterations or better swaddling techniques (but thanks for all the suggestions, everyone). She began sleeping through the night and our permanent, corpse-like state of sleep deprivation was replaced with sporadic — but deal-able — sleep deprivation. I began feeding Lydia with supplemental formula during the night when she woke up. I walked her through the bird sanctuary. And, sometimes, I did end up snuggling with her in the middle of the night while Shannon got some sleep.

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Shannon Keough and Nick Hook live in Minneapolis with their son and daughter. Send questions or comments to skeough@mnparent.com.

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mnparent.com • September 2016

⊲⊲It’s a ____ kind of a day. You can fill in that blank with “mac and cheese” or “Ewan McGregor marathon” and I still don’t care. Mama, you’re better than this! ⊲⊲#bestever and “10 years ago today, I made the best decision of my life …” Could we (with a straight face) lavish praise upon the actual parents, siblings, children and spouses — whom we’ve decided to so smugly sanctify on Facebook — like, in person? ⊲⊲This. Steadily gaining momentum as an emphasizer, it comes off as smug.

⊲⊲Beyond yoga pants

Mommy cliches A

s they say, a cliche is a cliche because it’s rooted in truth. The phrases roll off our tongues freely because they’re (Exhibit A) lit-er-ally a part of the modern American vernacular. But don’t you get tired of what’s commonly said about you, Mama? I do.

⊲⊲Let’s start with wine In the last five years or so, wine has unfortunately become the patron saint of motherhood. Members of our tribe claim to hide it in odd places around the home, put it in personal sippy cups at the park and white-knuckle it ‘til 5 o’ clock, when they can pour an actual big girl glass. It’s 5’o clock somewhere. (Exhibit B). But let’s face it: The typical mommy-wine joke meets at least five of the criteria for alcoholism. Should we be glorifying wine-meets-motherhood like this? Nope. Then there’s the word “overshare” and its cousin “TMI.” (Exhibits C and D) — and the Facebook offenses that make them possible:

September 2016 • mnparent.com

I say all this knowing that I’ve hastily used most — if not all — of these cliches. Personally? I do like yoga pants. I think they’ve come a long way. I obnoxiously proclaim (Exhibit E) that I actually do yoga in them, thank you very much. And then I dress them up with some Simply Verabrand earrings from Kohl’s (F) and go on a “much needed date night” (G) with my “hubby” (H) and selfie the crap out of the evening. #Blessed. I can’t get into reading mommy bloggers, but I do suggest taking a stand against the term itself, which only perpetuates the stereotype — and is possibly a gateway drug to all of these things we’ve supposedly become, when really, we’re a million things more.

⊲⊲Who am I (besides a mom)? I am — in addition to a parenting columnist who has totally made a lazy-mom/wine reference or two — a controlled and exacting emotional tornado capable of making your face melt with the force of my feelings, and a Harry Potter devotee. I am divorced and rebuilt. OK Go was my favorite band before the viral videos and I’ve lived in Los Angeles, Boston, Sicily, Chesapeake and Poughkeepsie. I breastfed forever and loved it. I’ve helped women stop breastfeeding because

TODDLER STUFF

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they didn’t love it. I’ve saved a life. My parents are world-champion bridge players. My twenties were WAY more like the TV series Girls than is comfortable to admit. And I think. Huge, winding, complicated thoughts. Constantly.

⊲⊲Needlessly defensive The moms who walk beside me are more than boxed merlot, Shonda Rhimes and yoga pants, too. They’re midwives and mountain climbers, artists and historians. Triathletes. “In the trenches” (Exhibit I) stay-at-home-moms with intention and intelligence and who, if you ask me, are too defensive about a damn good choice. Toddler Mama, this discussion is for YOU in particular — fresh out of the baby haze (J) and fumbling with your identity. It’s not that I deny the cliches, shame the cliches or even completely avoid them myself. I just think more of you, Mama. And I want you to think more of you, too. Jen Wittes is a freelance writer and mother of two who lives in St. Paul. Reach out to her at jenwittes.com or jwittes@mnparent.com. mnparent.com • September 2016

Why rough play is OK R

ight now, my three boys (ages 5, 7 and 9) are in our upstairs loft wrestling. Sitting at my computer at the kitchen table, I can hear a lot of clomping around and the persistent thumping of feet and arms, all punctuated by the occasional scream and the sound of my upstairs furniture shifting. These are loud and happy wrestling sounds. I admit — as a kindergarten teacher and mother of four — my tolerance for this type of play may be a bit higher than the average parent. But my acceptance is grounded in the belief that roughhousing significantly helps with kids’ growth and development.

⊲⊲The benefits Technically speaking, my boys are engaging in rough-and-tumble play. This fundamental form of play has been defined as “physically vigorous behaviors” — such as chasing and play fighting — accompanied by positive feelings between the players. This type of play is good for kids and has many research-proven benefits: Dr. Richard Fletcher from University of Newcastle (Australia) found that rough-and-tumble play can provide real-world opportunities for children to observe and practice important social skills such as recognizing emotions, suppressing impulses and aggression and sustaining reciprocal play. Children who engage in roughhousing also can learn self-control, compassion and boundaries. According to The Play and Playground Encyclopedia, roughhousing often requires intense exertion that helps with kids’ cardiovascular health, motor skills and muscle development.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

SCHOOL-AGE STUFF

The Art of Roughhousing ⊲⊲Drawing inspiration from martial arts, ballet, gymnastics, other sports and even animal behaviors, the authors of this 2011 book — gastroenterologist Anthony DeBenedet (a father of three girls) and Lawrence Cohen, a psychologist and family therapist — present dozens of illustrated rough-and-tumble activities for children and parents to enjoy together. $ 14.95 • theartofroughhousing.com

These activities give boys especially the opportunity to address their need for power and to physically touch each other while playing. They may play King of the Mountain, pretend to be superheroes or engage in mock karate. In time, rough-and-tumble games can evolve into more sophisticated games, including organized sports.

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⊲⊲Setting limits: Create boundaries. In our family, wrestling and Nerf guns are limited to kids’ bedrooms, the upstairs play loft or outdoors. Watch for aggressive behavior. Be prepared to intervene if necessary. “In rough play, kids are smiling and having a good time; in real fights, they’re angry or crying,” said psychologist Eileen Kennedy-Moore in an article published in Psychology Today. “In rough play, kids take turns ‘attacking’ and being ‘attacked,’ and they’re careful not to push or hit too hard. “In real fights, the kids are trying to hurt each other. Real fights usually involve only two kids, and they don’t want to be together afterwards.” Get involved. A common reaction when seeing kids wrestle might be one of resistance or alarm. I’ve often tried to intervene — when my boys have been piled on top of each other. My husband, on the other hand, actually likes to get in on the action. And that’s good: When dads (and moms, too!) get involved roughhousing with young children, it helps them model appropriate rough-andtumble techniques and build deeper connections with their children. Yes, rough play can lead to bumps and bruises — and even tears and hurt feelings — but I believe the overall benefits are worth it.

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Megan Devine lives in Northeastern Minnesota. Write her at mdevine@mnparent.com. mnparent.com • September 2016

Feeling ‘angsty,’ anyone? A

ngst: Noun. A feeling of dread, anxiety or anguish.

I recently had the privilege of hosting some very dear friends from Paris for a week. Our family friendship was one of those serendipitous discoveries. When we met, we found a playmate for each of us, if you will. They’re a family of four, with an older son and younger daughter close in age to our son and daughter. We’ve spent a lot of time as one big family on long-weekend camping trips, at holiday meals and even on European vacations. When all of us are together, the world seems to be spinning just right. And yet, we’ve seen each other at our best and our not so best. We seen members of our group at their wits’ end — completely frustrated by a certain child or perhaps a certain spouse, leading us all down the wrong highway in a different country. Life can get awkward and uncomfortable. We’ve shared those everyday discomforts together. And have laughed about them later. When the kids went through their late-elementary and middle school years, we soaked up our time together with delight. But now, well, those seem like simpler times. Now all four of the kids are teenagers, emitting equal parts unfiltered angst and tremendous joy. And during this recent visit, with all of us living in close proximity, things were sometimes tricky. Amplified.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

⊲⊲Brotherly love My daughter is new to the teenage circuit (she just turned 13 in the spring). But, in just a few months, we’ve already seen what this new stage can bring. And my son, who’s just shy of 16, has no qualms about pointing out any notable changes in her disposition or behaviors. When she seems to be in a particular mood, he asks: “Oooh, feeling angsty?” I’m not sure if you’ve had the opportunity to be in the presence of a teen in one of those moods. But that isn’t the first question I’d drop if I noticed it. In fact, I’d say it pretty much riles her up.

⊲⊲The catchphrase So now, an unofficial slogan that’s been a trifling annoyance to my daughter, has become a bona fide thing — a catchphrase in the Wizbowski home. When we had our friends stay, the angst travelled from one day — from one adolescent — to the next, serving up a daily dish of huff. Indeed, angst can make its appearance in multiple teens throughout multiple parts of the day. It doesn’t need an invite. There’s no protocol. It is, in fact, very progressive, needing no specification of gender. It just comes. Sometimes, angst reveals itself as a general mood or aura.

TEEN STUFF

Book for tweens ⊲⊲Chelsea Clinton, with her book, It’s Your World, challenged tweens in 2015 to “get informed, get inspired and get going” to make positive changes in the world. Now, given the history her mother made recently — becoming the first female nominee for President of the United States — this book, which explores the challenges of poverty, education gaps, gender equality, health care and the environment, is worth a look for your would-be change maker. $18.99 • itsyourworld.com

Sometimes it’s a response to a parent or sibling, a sudden verbalization of abnormally spiky thoughts. Sometimes it’s just because: I am a teen and I need to know I can make my own decisions. And if you don’t back me up. I. Just. Will.

⊲⊲All a mother can do Sometimes, I just want to be angsty back. I admit I’ve had my own moments of profound angstiness. Oh, boy, who wouldn’t? This is when I pray for grace. Humor. Deep love. Because there ain’t no stopping the angst when it comes. So I’m going to deliver my own stubborn back. I will laugh. I will smile. I will hold my breath and walk away. I’m determined to love them through this. This angst, it doesn’t stand a chance. Jennifer Wizbowski lives in Excelsior with her husband, and daughter and son, ages 13 and 15. Send comments, questions and story ideas to jwizbowski@mnparent.com.

mnparent.com • September 2016

Apps for saving easily T

he New York Times headline said, “Apps That Make Saving as Effortless as Spending.” So, of course, even though I don’t consider myself a very big spender, I couldn’t resist clicking. What’s not to like about effortless saving? On my journey of chasing the click bait, I learned a few things about both saving and spending.

⊲⊲Upon closer inspection First: Wow, spending really is easy. It’s something most of us know on some level, even if knowing it doesn’t actually change the way we spend. A click here, a swipe there, and money just disappears in a magical, electronic poof. I wasn’t joking when I said I’m not a huge spender. I don’t like shopping, and my idea of a great evening is sitting around a fire pit with friends instead of dining at the latest, greatest restaurant. Even my kids don’t have expensive tastes. Still, when the article talked about people’s spending habits — especially using debit cards for amounts you barely notice in your account balances — it cast a colder light on the easy purchases I make and rarely even think about. For me, those small (very thrifty, in my humble opinion) expenses include things like monthly music subscriptions, a beer with friends here and there and casual dinners out with my family. Frankly, I think those spending examples are reasonable and within my budget, and this isn’t a column about how those little expenses can add up to big savings over the year. (Any of us could do the math and figure out if our daily coffee habit is worth the expense over time.)

⊲⊲Mimicking spending What’s interesting, though, is how several apps and programs described in the article

September 2016 • mnparent.com

take the idea of easy, relatively pain-free spending and turn it into a model for easy, relatively painfree saving. For instance, a mobile app called Qapital lets you set up rules for when you want to transfer money into savings — and it lets you link those rules to your casual spending. For instance, you can set it up so that each time you buy a coffee, you automatically put the same amount (or $5, or $10, or whatever you want) into savings. Basically, apps like Qapital — and the article mentions several others, including Digit, Dyme and Acorns — make it easy for people to follow the most basic savings advice: Start small, be regular and watch your savings grow.

⊲⊲Mobile ease And they use smartphones to do it all. Maybe you’ve gotten used to using your phone to

Apps like Qapital make it easy for people to follow the most basic savings advice: Start small, be regular and watch your savings grow.

make spending money easy: Think Uber, ApplePay and others. These apps let us use our phones to make saving easier. For instance, Acorns will round up every purchase you make to the next dollar, and then invest the “spare change” in low-cost index stocks. Your savings get bulked up, however slightly, in that same magical poof. You can read the article for yourself — tinyurl.com/savings-apps — to figure out if one of the apps is right for you. The author does note that they’re not ideal for super-security-conscious folks: Since most of them will transfer money directly from your checking account, they ask you to share your bank account number and password similar to money-tracking services such as Mint.

⊲⊲A new way of thinking I haven’t downloaded any of these savings apps yet, and I’m not sure I will. Most appealing to me is this new way of thinking about how easy it can be to save. We tend to think of Saving as a big task or chore with a capital S, but we can all build little triggers or transactions into our lives. For instance, I can already quickly move money from my checking account into savings using my credit union’s app. Maybe I set up my own rule that every time I go out to dinner, I make a savings deposit also. Or every time we rent a movie. Or every time I buy a record. The apps are apparently meant to make saving more appealing to young people who might think of the S-word as stodgy or something they can put off. But who among us couldn’t use a little nudge in this area? Eric Braun is a Minneapolis dad of two boys and the co-author of the forthcoming book for young readers, The Survival Guide for Money Smarts: Earn, Save, Spend, Give (Free Spirit Publishing, September 2016). Send comments or questions to ebraun@mnparent.com.

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mnparent.com • September 2016

When does puberty start? At what age do girls begin puberty? We’ve heard as young as 8! You’re correct that girls can begin puberty as young as 8 years old. And, in fact, that’s still considered within the range of normal. Girls typically start puberty between the ages of 8 and 13. Boys start between age 9 and 14. Keep in mind, however, that puberty is a developmental period that arrives in stages and affects many different parts of the body, including the skeletal, muscular and reproductive systems. When people think of puberty, they often think of the more obvious changes seen in the later stages, so it’s understandable they’re surprised it can start at such a young age. For girls, the first sign of puberty is a budding of the breasts. About 1 year after puberty starts, girls will go through a peak growth period, in terms of height, weight and muscle mass. Menstruation typically starts 1½ to 2 years after the onset of puberty. If you’re seeing signs of puberty in a girl younger than 8 or if your girl is older than 13 and hasn’t started showing signs of puberty, discuss this with your pediatrician. For boys, the first sign of puberty is an enlargement of the testes, followed by a peak growth period that typically occurs two years after the onset of puberty. If a boy shows signs of puberty before age 9, or hasn’t started puberty by age 14 years, discuss this with your pediatrician.

We think our newborn could be allergic to cow’s-milk formula. What are the signs? Milk-protein allergy is a condition that develops in the first year of life. The most common form is an allergy specifically to the protein in cows’ milk. Symptoms — rashes, stomach upset/discomfort, vomiting and/or diarrhea — can appear within a few minutes of eating the protein, but they can also be present a few hours after consumption. Another symptom can be the presence of blood in the stool. Less commonly it can affect the respiratory system, causing chronic nasal stuffiness, constant runny nose, cough and wheezing. At the severe end of the spectrum, milk-protein allergy can cause 4

September 2016 • mnparent.com

allergic symptoms similar to those commonly associated with a severe peanut allergy, such as difficulty breathing, severe hives, swelling of the head, neck, mouth or throat areas and/or bloody diarrhea. If any of those symptoms occur, you should take your child immediately to the emergency room or call 911. Treatment for milk-protein allergy calls for removing the protein from the diet completely. For breastfed infants, this often means that the breastfeeding mother needs to eliminate dairy (cows’ milk) from her diet. For formula-fed infants, this means switching to a non-dairy based formula. Be aware that a high percentage of infants are sensitive to both cows’ milk proteins and soymilk proteins. For more detailed treatment recommendations, discuss your concerns with your pediatrician. Note: This condition shouldn’t be confused with lactose intolerance, which also typically involves dairy products (including cows’ milk). Lactose intolerance is a condition caused when a person doesn’t have enough of the lactase enzyme to break down or digest the sugar (lactose) in dairy products. Since the lactose can’t be properly digested, it then gets broken down by bacteria, which can cause gas, bloating, stomach cramps and diarrhea. This condition is quite uncommon in infants and younger children as people generally have higher levels of lactase in their systems in their early years. Lactase levels, however, can decline over time, so it’s quite common to develop lactose intolerance later in life. Kimara Gustafson is a Minneapolis mother who works as a pediatrician at Masonic Children’s Hospital and the Adoption Medicine Clinic, both at the at the University of Minnesota. Send your questions to kgustafson@mnparent.com.

Jennifer Schwertfeger

Learning despite delays M

y daughter, Grace, came into the world as a micro preemie 11 years ago. Born at 24 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 6.2 ounces, Grace had a 66 to 80 percent chance of survival. She faced many medical challenges (as many preemies do), and she had lot of catching up to do. Our family faced some tough times, to say the least. It was hard on all of us, including Grace’s two older sisters. Meanwhile, my husband faced the challenge of financially and emotionally supporting our family of five. We lived in and out of hospitals and clinics. Grace was put on one antibiotic after another and nebulizers were a part of her daily life. All told, she had seven surgeries to address her many health issues in those early years.

⊲⊲Beyond survival As Grace grew older, she became physically healthier, but her development was delayed in many areas. And so a new era of challenge began: She couldn’t control her impulses or concentrate on one task at a time. It was a stressful time for me. I would cry and pray a lot, for more time and patience. I told myself: “Accept the things you cannot change.” But in my heart, I wasn’t giving up on Grace. I knew she could learn. I reluctantly took the advice of my mom’s words, “Just give it more time.” And there were glimmers of hope. We could tell Grace was learning: If you showed her something, you could see that she understood. Even though I wasn’t sure how much information her memory would store for the next time we introduced the same scenario, every little success spurred me onward.

⊲⊲Dare to believe And I know now that following that hope was one of the best things we could have done. My mother was right. Giving Grace time — and believing in her —

September 2016 • mnparent.com

proved to be one of the most powerful steps we would take as a family. Grace has made huge strides, thanks to many hours of early intervention programs and through her grade school, where she attends special education and regular classes. She’s set and reached goals outlined in her IEP (Individualized Education Plan). So I’m here to tell you that kids DO LEARN with cognitive delays and to encourage parents to never give up. You are not alone.

⊲⊲The three Rs Repetition, repetition, repetition. Kids with delays — like all kids — benefit from doing the same things repeatedly. When you do something over and over again, it gets stored as information. With Grace, we found that if we worked repeatedly with her on a task — and taught it the exact same way every time — she would eventually learn it. It sounds so simple, but it was a revelation to us at the time. And every time she mastered a task, we were sure to celebrate her achievements, too!

↑↑Jennifer Schwertfeger of Mankato poses with her daughter, Grace, who was born 16 weeks prematurely — at 1 pound, 6.2 ounces — with a 66 to 80 percent chance of survival. Today Grace attends school, including special education and regular classes.

⊲⊲Rewards and recognition Kids with delays, like all kids, can benefit from positive reinforcement. It’s important to honor all the little victories — in any way you can. Earning time on an iPad and getting free time at school can be powerful rewards. For Grace, graphically illustrated charts that documented her progress toward her goals were extremely effective because they so clearly showed each step forward. And give yourself a pat on the back, too. It’s important to focus less on the “bad” stuff, and start looking for the good, the positives. Stop as often as you can to recognize the good and praise it. You’ll find it’s amazing how the well things can flow if you take a new, positive perspective.

⊲⊲Kid being kids A family member asked me the other day, if Grace wasn’t delayed, how would you react if she presented the same behaviors? Gosh, those words stuck in my head. He was right. I needed to recognize that my daughter was trying to live in this crazy world, just like everyone else. When you’re parenting a kid with special needs, it can be easy to fall into the trap of associating any negative behavior with whatever special needs that child might be facing. But children with delays, like all kids, enjoy getting attention, and it doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad attention. Sometimes a so-called negative behavior doesn’t have anything to do with a kid’s delays; it simply has to do with your kid just being a kid. Does that make it a whole lot easier? Maybe not. But remember: You’re not alone. And the rewards for supporting your child every step of the way are absolutely worth it!

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Jennifer Schwertfeger is a Mankato mother of three girls and the author of Life With Grace: A Reference Guide for Parents of Premature Babies. Learn more at lifewithgracebook.com. mnparent.com • September 2016

IN THE KITCHEN

GOLDEN NUGGETS

By Sarah Jackson

Skip the frozen-section nuggets made with unpronounceable ingredients and try this down-home recipe. Instead of using an egg wash to adhere the breading, this recipe relies on — oh, yes — melted butter, along with Parmesan cheese and a few fairly common pantry items. It’s so simple, you can make it with the kids. And you’ll actually want to eat them, too! 26

September 2016 • mnparent.com

INGREDIENTS 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumb 1/2 cup very finely grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional) 1 teaspoon dried basil (optional) 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Whisk together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil in a shallow dish. Put the melted butter in another shallow dish. Dip the chicken pieces into the melted butter, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place well-coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until there’s no pink in the center of the nuggets.

TIPS 4 For best results, use real grated Parmesan cheese without any shreds or shavings. It should look like a fine powder, which works better for breading. Avoid the shelf-stable stuff sold in cans. 4 Many reviewers online recommended broiling the nuggets for a few minutes at the end of cooking for a crispier texture.

Source: We adapted this recipe from allrecipes.com, where it received a cumulative rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on more than 1,000 reviews. Read the original recipe and reviews — and watch a video to see how easy it is to make — at tinyurl.com/nuggets-mn.

BOOKSHELF

Favorite first books By Sarah Jackson It’s never too early to read with your baby! In fact, early childhood development experts recommend reading to children from birth — at least 20 minutes a day, three days a week (read20.org). Here are some of our favorite books for babies. Find reading lists for all age groups (including age 0 to 12 months) at readingfoundation.org.

Vegetables and Fruit Get your baby started early on the goodness of whole foods with these board books by author-illustrator Sara Anderson. Cut-paper-style images of vegetables and fruits are revealed one at a time in a rhythmic sequences: “Celery, rhubarb / cucumber, bean / potato, tomato, yellow and green,” in Vegetables and, in Fruit, “Huckleberry, strawberry / watermelon, plum / apricot, mango: Let’s have some!” $9.99 each

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? You can’t go wrong with the vibrant illustrations Eric Carle. New this year — in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and the 10th anniversary of Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? — is a new mini-tab version of the latter title. Tabbed pages guide you through the animal characters — and make page turning easy for little hands, too. $6.99

Usborne Touchy-Feely Books This durable, boardbook series by Usborne — featuring irresistible texture patches (soft, rough, fluffy, shiny, shaggy, bumpy) — is unbeatable for engaging older infants. Babies love the bold illustrations, tactile pages and, bonus, a little white mouse on every page. Numerous new touch-feely gift sets are out now, too, including That’s Not My Zoo, That’s Not My Pets and others. $9.99 per book

September 2016 • mnparent.com

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mnparent.com • September 2016

n Houdini, c rockaholic, early bird,

September 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ mnparent.com

night owl, cat napper, , What type of sleeper do you have? Here’s how to cope with the exhausting and varied slumber habits of newborns — and beyond. By Rachel Guyah

Newborns and young infants are supposed to sleep all the time. Right? (Cue the eye roll.) At least that’s what many parents-tobe are led to believe. However, many new moms and dads quickly learn that the adorable adage “sleeping like a baby” is highly misleading. Newborns and infants can be loud, wiggly, finicky little snoozers. Whether your little one is a swaddle escape artist or a nocturnal night owl, take heart: These tricky sleep behaviors are very common and often rooted in biology. Here are five common sleep issues for newborns and younger infants, as well as tips for troubleshooting each one.

mnparent.com • September 2016

What type of sleeper do you have?

The Houdini

Your newborn is constantly wriggling out of his swaddle. No matter how tightly you try to bundle your little burrito, he always manages to break free, startling himself awake with his own sudden movements. So what’s the reason behind your wiggle worm’s movements? Two words: Moro reflex. All babies are born with a handful of primitive reflexes that are outside of their control. “The Moro reflex is an involuntary type of startle reflex in response to a sudden loss of support,” said Hannah Kull, a nurse practitioner with Children’s Minnesota West St. Paul Clinic. “An infant will extend his arms out and flail them when he feels that sudden loss of support.” That sudden jerking can often startle babies awake or cause them to cry. The Moro reflex is a normal, neurological reflex that typically disappears around 3 to 6 months of age. That said, some babies are born with a stronger reflex than others. Pair a strong reflex with strong muscles, and you may find yourself in a sleep-deprived tango of swaddle/re-swaddle all night long as baby continues to bust out of the very thing that soothes him.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Tips If your wiggle worm keeps breaking out of his swaddle, here are a few options you can try: Tighten the swaddle. Sometimes the swaddle comes undone because it was wrapped too loosely. New parents are often nervous to swaddle too tightly, but wrapping your baby as snug as a bug provides a calming and secure barrier for those wiggly limbs. Just be sure to keep the fabric at the hips and legs loose to allow for healthy hip development. Legs should be able to bend up and out of the hips. Switch to a zip-up sleep sack. If your little Houdini continues to bust out of traditional swaddling blankets (and even Velcro sleep sacks), you might consider upgrading to one of the zip-up swaddling sleep sacks on the market. (See an example on page 39.) The zip-up design makes swaddling a snap and ensures a secure, wiggle-proof fit. One more thing: To minimize risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends always placing infants on their backs for sleep (swaddled or unswaddled). And as soon as your little one shows signs of rolling over, discontinue swaddling.

What type of sleeper do you have?

The Night Owl Your newborn missed the memo that nights are for shut-eye. She prefers to snooze away the day, then party all night. While her nocturnal energy is frustrating, it’s also extremely common. “Before birth, babies in utero are entrained to circadian rhythm through the movements of their mothers,” said Sara Pearce, a registered nurse and the founder of the locally based Amma Parenting Center and author of The Amma Parenting Center Book of Sleep. After birth, that physical connection to chronobiology ends, and it can take awhile for your baby’s own circadian rhythm to develop. “It’s really no wonder that they’re confused, because if you think about it, the womb is a very, very dark place, and they’re pretty much rocked to sleep all day in the womb, while mom is up and about,” Kull said. Furthermore, newborns are born with inadequate amounts of melatonin — the hormone your body secretes to help make you drowsy and drift off to sleep. It’s not until around 3 months old that babies start producing enough melatonin.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

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Tips If your babe is a bona fide night owl, there are a few things you can try, though most newborns naturally move toward a diurnal (daytime) schedule in time: Limit the length of the lateafternoon nap. Your mother or grandmother may have told you to never wake a sleeping baby, but if your newborn is taking monster day naps, you might need to wake her to nudge her toward a nighttime sleeping schedule. Kull said to limit daytime naps to no more than three hours at a stretch. Keep nighttime wakings quiet and dark. While it might be tempting to turn on the lights, watch TV or check your smartphone during those latenight feeding sessions, resist the urge. Bright and blue-white lights can inhibit the body’s production of melatonin. Pearce recommends using a low-wattage red or orange lights, as they’ve been found to be the least disruptive. Hang in there. When all is said and done, you may end up just having to play the waiting game. “The biggest factor in when a baby will sleep more at night is brain development, which happens with time,” Pearce said. Most babies will start consolidating their sleep at night by around 6 weeks.

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mnparent.com • September 2016

What type of sleeper do you have?

The Cat Napper Your little one prefers to cat-nap the day away. He only sleeps for 30 to 45 minutes at a stretch, leaving you just enough time to pee and scarf down a snack (oops, time’s up). While newborns typically sleep 16 to 18 hours a day, that sleep is usually parsed out in increments throughout the day (and night). “Newborns have very short sleep cycles during the day,” Pearce said. She added that a 25-minute nap is not only normal, it’s also protective. “Short, light sleep protects the baby’s two primary jobs — breathing and eating,” she said. While some newborns and younger infants might start stringing together several sleep cycles in one session, other babies may continue to take shorter naps for several months.

Tips For newborns, there isn’t much you can do to lengthen those naps, as they’re simply pre-wired to sleep and wake often to promote eating and rapid development. However, if you’re baby is still taking short naps after 3 months old, there are a few options to try to help them snooze past the first sleep cycle: Start naps at the ‘right’ time. How long should you let your child stay up before going down for a nap? The answer can vary widely among infants and can evolve as they get older. Experiment with different awake times to see if that helps. An under-tired baby may wake after 30 minutes because that’s all the shut-eye she needed, while an overtired one may have a hard time settling down and staying asleep between sleep cycles. Kull suggests laying babies down right away when they’re just starting to get drowsy. Remove sleep aids. If your baby has moved out of the newborn stage and still prefers a pacifier or to be rocked/held to sleep, she’ll have a harder time falling back asleep if she wakes between sleep cycles and the sleep aids are gone. “It’s kind of like you waking up in the middle of the night and somebody stole your pillow,” Kull said. Try gradually removing the pacifier and reducing the time spent rocking before sleep. Surrender and seize the short nap. If your baby is healthy, growing and waking happy after those 30 or 45-minute naps, then you may just have to accept that fact that you’ve got a cat-napper on your hands. Those naps will likely lengthen once your babe consolidates naps to just two per day.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

What type of sleeper do you have?

The Rockaholic Your little one doesn’t like to sleep unless she’s being rocked, bounced, swung or driven. The moment the car or stroller stops, your little one wakes up. “Some babies are born with a very high need for vestibular stimulation,” Pearce said. “They calm their nervous system with movement.” The vestibular system is located behind each ear and helps regulate Baby’s sense of balance. In the womb, your baby was continuously moving, giving his vestibular system constant stimulation. Fast-forward to the outside world, and the sensation of being still and flat can feel foreign and unsettling.

Tips Roll with the punches for now. In the first two to three months, don’t worry about creating “bad” sleep habits, said Pearce, as babies eventually outgrow the need for movement as their nervous systems develop: “We try to talk parents down from the fear that their child will need to take their Rock and Play to college,” Pearce said. Try a baby sling or wrap. Babywearing is a good way to not only bond with Baby, but it also stimulates his sensitive vestibular system. Plus, it frees up your hands to eat, fold laundry or do other tasks around the house. (Keep in mind that pediatricians still recommend always placing babies on their backs on a flat, firm surface for sleep.)

mnparent.com • September 2016

What type of sleeper do you have?

The Early Bird

Your little nugget likes to rise and shine at the unsightly hour of 5 a.m. (or even earlier), deepening both your coffee addiction and those crater-like circles under your eyes. “Some babies mistakenly think they were born on a dairy farm,” Pearce joked. Kull said early rising is a common complaint she hears from many parents, especially if a baby is starting to sleep through the night.

Tips Keep the room very dark. Since early morning sunlight can kick-start those wakeful hormones, try adding blackout blinds or shades to baby’s room. The darkness can help baby not only sleep in longer in the morning, but also nap better in the daytime. If you’re on a tight budget, fret not: There are several affordable yet effective options out there.

Rachel Guyah is a Bloomington-based writer and mother to an adorably dimpled, gap-toothed energizer bunny (cleverly disguised as a toddler). Follow her musings about motherhood at themamalogs.com.

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September 2016 • mnparent.com

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Use white noise. Sometimes early morning sounds (lawn mowers, garbage trucks, the neighbor’s dog) can prematurely wake a baby from his slumber. A white-noise machine that plays soft lullabies, ocean sounds or other background noise helps drown out the sounds that might otherwise startle your infant awake. Try a ‘dreamfeed.’ Sometimes Baby wakes early because she’s hungry. For babies less than 8 months old, a dreamfeed may be worth a try. In other words, before going to bed yourself at 10 p.m. or so, gently rouse Baby just enough to nurse or take a bottle, then immediately put her back in bed.

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Put Baby to bed earlier. Both Pearce and Kull suggest putting baby to bed earlier, as an overtired baby often wakes up earlier in the morning. While it sounds counterintuitive, an earlier bedtime may buy you extra sleep in the morning. Put yourself to bed earlier. You may try all the tricks in the book and still be stuck with an early riser. In this case, you may just have to go to bed earlier yourself and learn to embrace the dawn.

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mnparent.com • September 2016

September 2016 â&#x20AC;¢ mnparent.com

THE

G O L D E N

HOUR

Moms and babies who are allowed skin-on-skin time — ideally for at least 60 minutes immediately after birth — enjoy numerous benefits

By Jen Wittes

mnparent.com • September 2016

M The

Golden Hour

ost women prepare for childbirth fervently.

“The Birth Plan” has been en vogue for over a decade now and might include — among other things — the doula’s name, preferred interventions (if any), which Grandmas are allowed on the scene (if any) and where, precisely, the partner will be positioned (ahem) as the baby is crowning. The Birth Plan might be laminated. It might have hearts doodled along the margins in bright red, cherry-scented marking pen. It might be massive, in a binder, with organized tabs and a phone list — in case of emergency. Likewise, the typical American woman will take Lamaze, Bradley or Hypnobabies classes. She will practice prenatal yoga in hopes of an easier delivery via juicy hips, an expressive cervix and a malleable pelvis, not to mention that victorious breath. For birth, we prepare. And prepare some more. We pack a bag, devour books, phone a friend.

BEYOND BIRTH Truth be told, birth will happen how it will happen, no matter how much we plan. The only thing we can “expect” is the unexpected and the involuntary response to 40 weeks of gestation (or fewer). What we don’t plan for, what is hard to picture — perhaps because it’s so extraordinary — is the first seconds, minutes, hours and days of Baby’s life. These moments, in the end, are many times over more important than the mix CD you will create for labor, than the decision to embrace or vehemently shun the epidural. Luckily, babies are kind, and forgiving of crudely taped diapers. They are born to love you and don’t care if you sing off key. What they want and need — above all — is to be held close, especially throughout the first hour immediately following birth.

September 2016 • mnparent.com

MAKING MAGIC HAPPEN Some call it the “Magical Hour” (magicalhour.com) while most refer to it as “The Golden Hour.” The idea is simple — minimal separation between Mom and Baby — literally, physically, emotionally. The baby, after birth, is placed skin-to-skin on the mother’s chest — no diaper and only light blankets. “The Golden Hour is AAP recommended,” said Hannah Kull, a nurse practitioner at Children’s Minnesota West St. Paul Clinic. “This is for healthy babies. If Baby is in distress, the medical procedures have to happen first. However, even after a C-section, if Baby is doing OK, they can go straight to Mom after a quick assessment.” The Golden Hour dovetails well with the trend of an increasing number hospitals advocating for more baby-friendly practices, designed to encourage breastfeeding. Jessica Wicks Hughes, a registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul said: “We’ve been getting mamas close to their babies in the OR for quite some time. As providers, we know that newborns placed skin-to-skin with their mothers after birth are warmer, calmer and more likely to breastfeed in that first hour of life.” In healthy babies, most procedures can wait. Many procedures can be done in Mom’s arms, if need be. Mom herself can hold her newborn while receiving sutures or delivering the placenta. In fact, holding her baby will provide THE GOLDEN HOUR IS analgesic aid and a AAP RECOMMENDED. sense of calm YOU SHOULD BE ABLE through any TO TAKE THIS TIME discomfort caused by both natural WITHOUT FEELING and medical BAD ABOUT IT. functions after — Hannah Kull, a nurse practitioner birth. at Children’s Minnesota West St. Paul Clinic

The

Golden Hour GENTLE C-SECTIONS Some hospitals have a name for a family-focused surgery-assisted birth — the “gentle C-section,” which might include viewing the birth through a clear plastic drape and a high priority placed on immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth. When Jess Lahman of Parkers Prairie delivered her twins by Cesarean at 34 weeks, the curtain was dropped for a time and she was even allowed to help pull her babies into the world along with her husband, Ryan and her then-11-year-old daughter, Callista, at her side. Immediate skin-to-skin time with her boys was limited due to their medical needs as preterm babies, but she was grateful for her more active role in their birth, which took place at Lakewood Health System’s

↑↑Jess Lahman of Parkers Prairie was actively involved in the gentle C-section birth of her sons, Evan and Kavik. “I got to feel my boys take their first breaths under my hands, I got to feel their fists tightly grasp thumb as we were still connected,” Lahman said.

Hospital in Staples. “It really was an experience like none I’ve ever had before,” Lahman said. “I wish more parents to be knew it was an option.” She appreciated that her arms never needed to be tethered to the table and her husband was never asked to leave her side. “Everyone became family in that room,” she said. “I got to feel my boys take their first breaths under my hands, I got to feel their fists tightly grasp thumb as we were still connected. They weren’t just whisked away in a sterile fury. Even though it was a C-section delivery, I was still able to have ‘that moment’ with each of my boys. I’m infinitely grateful it was a priority.”

IF AN INFANT IS LEFT TO RELAX, SKIN-ON-SKIN, ON MOM’S ABDOMEN, THE CHILD WILL WRIGGLE, INCH AND CRAWL TO THE BREAST ALL ON HIS OR HER OWN. 44

September 2016 • mnparent.com

THE BREAST CRAWL Another benefit of prioritizing The Golden Hour is a chance to witness one of nature’s greatest miracles known as The Breast Crawl. Basically, if an infant is left to relax, skin-on-skin, on Mom’s abdomen, the child will eventually

wriggle, inch and crawl to the breast all on his or her own. It was first described in 1987 at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden: “Immediately after birth the child was dried and laid on the mother’s chest. … After 15 minutes of comparative inactivity, spontaneous sucking and rooting movements occurred, reaching maximal intensity at 45 minutes. The first handto-mouth movement was observed at a mean of 34 minutes after birth. And, at 55 minutes, the infant spontaneously found the nipple and started to suckle.” The Breast Crawl is featured in many articles as well as photos and videos celebrating this awesome, instinctual phenomenon. It’s really something to behold. Google it or go to breastcrawl.org.

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BONDING AND BIOLOGY The Golden Hour offers immediate connection between mother and child has many biological and emotional benefits. But above all it offers a smooth transition from the womb. “If you think about it, it makes sense. The mother’s environment is all the baby knows and being skin-to-skin helps regulate all the baby’s systems and gives him a cozy, familiar place from which to experience life on the outside,” said Aly Folin, a Certified Professional Midwife and licensed midwife at North Star Midwifery in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The baby is wired to transition in precisely this way and, after the initial shock of birth, will be quiet and alert — intently gazing at the mother. When the Golden Hour is practiced, the newborn will likely initiate

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The

Golden Hour

LEARN MORE Read the American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement that relates to the Golden Hour — called Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk — at tinyurl.com/goldenhour-mn.

breastfeeding on her own, which signals the breasts to begin making milk and maximizes overall breastfeeding success. According to birth experts, other benefits of practicing the Golden Hour protocol include: Regulation of baby’s heart rate. Regulation of baby’s respiratory patterns. Regulation of temperature — continuous warmth. Stimulation and maintenance of the hormones associated with uterine involution and the delivery of the placenta. Less bleeding/chance of hemorrhage for Mom. Calm, happy Mom and baby from abundant production of oxytocin (known as the “love” or “bonding” hormone).

←←Hannah Riederer’s twin sons, Judah and Levi, were born 49 minutes apart. As soon as they were reunited on their mother’s chest for skin-on-skin time, “they reached for each other and held hands in that first moment together in the outside world,” Riederer said. “One of the nurses wrote me that she would never forget that.”

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Colostrum from first attempts at breastfeeding begins colonizing the infant’s GI tract with microbes from Mom. Colostrum also works as the child’s first immunization, offering antibodies from the mother that protect from infection. Lower levels of stress hormone in the baby and less crying, according to some studies. “It’s important to talk with family and friends beforehand about the importance of this time,” Kull said. “Many grandparents aren’t used to this concept, especially with the first grandchild. Discuss and process before going into to labor — that the parents will take this time with the baby before any visitors come in. You should be able to take this time without feeling bad about it.”

OUR EXPERIENCE WASN’T SO GOLDEN. NOW WHAT? OK. This is all wonderful, proven, intuitive, wellintentioned information. But what if the Golden Hour doesn’t happen? What if the baby is in distress? Early? NICU bound? What if Mom is under full anesthesia from a last minute emergency C-section? Will these moms and babies forever suffer a lesser bond? Can they still successfully breastfeed? Go to college? Lead happy and healthy lives? In short, of course they can. All of the above and then some. Pediatric and perinatal recommendations are just that — recommendations and best practices for a healthy start. While experts will call the Golden Hour “crucial,” this can be a disservice to new mothers who are, quite frankly, already way too hard on themselves. Babies are resilient. Families begin in a myriad of ways. The Golden Hour is wonderful, but not the only factor in terms of development, bonding, health and success. Though there may be some challenges brought about by a delay in bonding — namely emotional strife and

WE’VE BEEN GETTING MAMAS CLOSE TO THEIR BABIES IN THE O.R. FOR QUITE SOME TIME. — Jessica Wicks Hughes, a registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul

regret in the mother and perhaps some difficulty establishing breastfeeding — these are far from impossible to overcome. And guess what? You can make up for lost time. If you’re unable to do so immediately after birth, you’re encouraged to claim your Golden Hour as soon as you can — uninterrupted, skin-onskin, quiet, alert. Whenever, wherever, as often as you’d like. Jen Wittes lives in St. Paul and is a mother of two. She’s helped many Twin Cities families in her work as a postpartum doula. Write her at jwittes@mnparent.com.

←←Kaitlyn and Ashley Huang of Woodbury were born this past April. Photo by Wink Photography

MoMs tell all! Mothers of multiples are on the rise. Their advice? Don’t go it alone. By Sarah Jackson You aren’t imagining things. Twins are becoming more common — and have been for decades. In 2009, 1 in every 30 babies born in the United States was a twin, compared with 1 in every 53 babies in 1980, according to the CDC. Put another way, that’s more than 1 million more twins who wouldn’t have existed before the increase. And that’s not counting the number of triplets, quads and quints!

September 2016 • mnparent.com

That, of course, means there are many more parents living life-times-two or three or four or more. In response to the rising birth rates of multiples, Edina-based Welcome Baby Care — a Twin Cities postpartum doula agency — set out to learn more this past spring with a survey of mothers of multiples as well as those expecting multiples. Top concerns among expecting mothers, the survey found, were babies’ health, followed by money, having enough help, mom’s health and, finally, other family members. Carey Lindeman, the founder of Welcome Baby Care, said more

than 40 percent of the Edina-based agency’s business is driven by families caring for multiples — quite a high number when you consider that multiples make up a relatively small percentage of births overall (3.3 percent in 2010). Though seeking help when it’s needed is important for all families going through the postpartum period, families with multiples are more likely to allow themselves to accept it because of exceptional circumstances, Lindeman said. That might mean, when possible, spending money on daytime or nighttime doula care during the postpartum period, Lindeman said. Of the 250 mothers surveyed, ↑↑Aubrey and Lilah Bohlman of South St. Paul are however, 83 percent were relying 4½ years old. primarily on family to support them, followed by daytime nannies and daycare centers. Another huge topic for moms of multiples, aka MoMs, was breastfeeding. A whopping 90 percent said they planned to breastfeed or were breastfeeding at least some amount — and 70 percent had used a lactation specialist (not surprising since nursing twins isn’t quite the same as nursing one). The folks at Welcome Baby Care (who offer classes on breastfeeding twins) didn’t just gather statistics, however: They also captured MoMs’ anonymous, unfiltered insights by asking them for their best piece of advice. In turn, we followed suit and asked Minnesota Parent Facebook fans for their words of wisdom — and pictures of their darling multiples. MoMs’ overwhelmingly universal advice was: Don’t try to be a superhero and try to do it all alone. In short, get help — anywhere you can — even Facebook, especially from other MoMs who know what it’s like! Lindeman said Welcome Baby Care’s free MoMs Mixers — including one coming up at Pacifier in Minneapolis on the evening of Oct. 6 — are one of many ways moms can join forces and create their own support communities. “They’re wildly successful because — finally — they’re sitting around a table with these MoMs, and they really connect with each other,” Lindeman said. As one mom in the survey offered her advice: “Connect with a community of moms of multiples. There’s something uniquely challenging about having more than one baby at a time, and I really value the support I have from my online and in-person fellow MoMs.” Take a look at what else local moms shared — at right (anonymously) and on the following pages with photos and words from local moms. And be sure to check out the end of this story for local resources for MoMs.

MoMs unite!

What is the best piece of advice you would give expecting mothers of multiples? ⊲⊲Don’t turn down help: Have a list at home, so when people stop to help, they are able to pick a task off the list and complete it. ⊲⊲Ask for help BEFORE you feel yourself breaking. ⊲⊲Don’t let people come over in the first 2 months of babies being home/born who are just visiting. They must come with a meal, to clean or do laundry or give you a nap or let you run errands or take a shower. ⊲⊲Whatever works is what works best. Every mom is different, so find what works best for you. ⊲⊲It’s going to be OK. You’ll figure it out, and you WILL sleep again. ⊲⊲Food is food, and it is OK if you have to supplement with formula as well. Any little bit of breast milk will help. ⊲⊲Invest in some sort of baby-wearing device. It helps when one baby or both want to be held. ⊲⊲If people are helping and not doing things “your way,” just try to look past it. ⊲⊲Have a plan — and find people who have done it before. ⊲⊲Stop trying to do anything else. ⊲⊲Keep the babies on the same schedule; it’s soooo hard but it pays off.

— Welcome Baby Care Survey, 2016

Sarah Jackson is the editor of Minnesota Parent. Write her at editor@mnparent.com

mnparent.com • September 2016

MoMs tell all!

Life with multiples! There will be hard days, but there will also be amazing days. The hard days will undoubtedly outnumber the amazing days in the beginning. Take things one day at a time. If one day at a time is too overwhelming, set your goal on making it through the next hour, or even just the next minute. Breathe. Breathe again. There is no shame in crying right along with them. — Jessica Lahman of Parkers Prairie, mother of twins Evan and Kavik Photo by Jennessa Kae Photography

Throw your expectations out the window and just do what works best for you and your new little family. We tried forcing sleeping in the nursery and breastfeeding and doing it all on our own — at first. But life got so much better when I started just pumping instead, asking for help from friends and family and figuring out a night schedule that worked for us — even if it was a bit unorthodox. It’s survival mode at first, and that’s OK. It gets easier as the months go on. — Natalie Mehrhoff of Savage, mother of twins Quinn and Logan Photo by Abigail Sefkow Photography

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Above all else, keep the babies on the SAME routine; once that’s accomplished, life is that much easier! And finally, ENJOY the small moments — the cuddles, smiles and first giggles. — Karen Kartman of Lino Lakes, mother of twins Aubrey and Lyla, pictured with big brother, Colby, 4, and Dad, Paul Photo by Agape Moments Photography

Twin Cities

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MoMs tell all!

When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I worried about how it would affect my relationship with my 2-year-old daughter. I wondered how I’d have enough love in my heart for two more babies. But the first time I held my twins, my heart just got fuller. Someone knew I needed all three. — Valerie Moe of Bloomington, mother of twins Jacob and Seraphina, pictured with big sister, Olivia, 3

ALWAYS TAKE ADVICE FROM OTHERS WITH A GRAIN OF SALT! I GOT SOME ADVICE THAT WAS GREAT, AND I GOT SOME ADVICE THAT REALLY DIDN’T APPLY TO US! EACH KID WILL BE DIFFERENT AND EACH FAMILY’S SITUATION IS DIFFERENT. I SAY: ALWAYS ACCEPT HELP WHEN OFFERED; DON’T TRY TO BE A SUPERMOM/ SUPERDAD OR YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF OUT. — Martha Klopp of Oakdale, mother of Josie, Madeline, Sofia, 6, and Will Klopp, 3

Get connected with a group of parents of multiples. We are a special group of parents that understand the exceptional joy and increased challenges of having twins. I connected with a Facebook group of Minneapolis Mommas of Multiples and they have been my lifeline. — Michelle Ulland of North St. Paul, mother of twins Carter and Elianna

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Keep a good routine. My twins always seem to be on the same page because we have always changed them, fed them and put them down for naps at the same time. — Janelle Heppes of Ramsey, mother of twins Gavin and Charlee Heppes Photo by Crystal Hedberg Photography

Twins are hard — and an extra set of hands is wonderful and welcome. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s not a sign of weakness, but strength. Also be patient with yourself. — Nicole Marohl of Bloomington, mother of twins Mira and Henry Photo by Charlie and Violet Photography MacPhail Center for Music MNP 0916 2-3page_#2.indd 1

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mnparent.com • September 2016

MoMs tell all!

Take lots of pictures! You’re in survival mode in the beginning and hardly have the energy to look around and appreciate your multiples. Once you settle in, you’ll be so glad to have the pictures to reflect back on. — Melissa Block of Eagan, mother of twins Madden and Joseph

LET THE LITTLE THINGS GO IF YOU CAN; SOMETIMES IT’S JUST ABOUT SURVIVAL. — Alison Nelson of Maple Grove, mother of twins Georgia and Brooks Nelson

September 2016 • mnparent.com

I was devastated when I found out I was having twins. We already had a daughter who would only be 2 when they were born. Two seemed like too much. I didn’t know how I would care for two newborns. I was worried the pregnancy would be too hard. Would I have to go on bed rest? Will the babies be alright? Would I be able to nurse two? Would I ever sleep again? How could I juggle two newborns and a toddler (three under 3)? In the end, none of that mattered. They handed me two perfect babies. Our days are busy, but full of love. Two was the perfect amount. — Hannah Riederer of St. Paul, mother of twins Judah and Levi, and Charlotte, 2, pictured with Dad, John Photo by Brooke of Peace Love Babies

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MoMs tell all!

Getting them on the same, or close to the same, schedule is key to surviving the first year. For instance, if one baby wakes to eat, wake the other and feed them as well. Don’t forget to take a lot of pictures and especially videos. Keep a journal to track all of the important milestones and memories. And most importantly, don’t forget to stock up on coffee!

Remember that you and your significant other are on the same team. It’s pretty easy to lose sight of that amidst all the chaos. And remember that you are stronger than you think. You were given the gift of twins for a reason. — Kim Buerger of Woodbury, mother of twins Riley and Emmie

— Allison Wilker of Hugo, mother of twins Jack and Molly, pictured with Dad, Patrick Photo by Meghan Elizabeth Photography

BE PATIENT. EVERYTHING TAKES TWICE AS LONG BUT IT IS TWICE AS FUN! — Krista Vanderveren of Elko New Market, mother of twins Kali and Kylie

TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME. TWICE THE STRESS AND ATTENTION MEANS TWICE THE LOVE BACK. IT’S CRAZY, BUT WORTH IT! — Kristin Moan of Nowthen, mother of twins Hayden and Dylan

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Resources MENTAL HEALTH ⊲⊲Mother-Baby Program tinyurl.com/mother-baby-hcmc 612-873-6262 ⊲⊲Pregnancy & Postpartum Support Minnesota | ppsupportmn.org 612-787-7776 POSTPARTUM DOULAS ⊲⊲Better Beginnings | betterbeginningsmn.com ⊲⊲Doula Match | doulamatch.net ⊲⊲Navigating Newborns navigatingnewborns.com ⊲⊲Welcome Baby Care welcomebabycare.com SUPPORT FOR MOMS ⊲⊲Amma Parenting Center ammaparentingcenter.com ⊲⊲BabyLove | babylovemn.com ⊲⊲Blooma | blooma.com ⊲⊲La Leche League | lllofmndas.org ⊲⊲MN Preemies | minnesotapreemies.com ⊲⊲Minnesota Valley Mothers of Multiples mvmom.org (Attend a sale Oct. 1.) ⊲⊲Multiple Connections multipleconnectionsmn.org ⊲⊲Northside MoMS | northsidemoms.org ⊲⊲Southern MN Mothers of Multiples somnmoms.org

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⊲⊲St. Paul Mothers of Multiples stpaulmoms.org/wordpress BLOGS AND BEYOND ⊲⊲Minneapolis Dads of Multiples tinyurl.com/dads-of-multiples ⊲⊲Minnesota Mommies of Multiples facebook.com/groups/MNMOM ⊲⊲Minneapolis Mamas with Multiples This secret group is made up of more than 2,200 mothers. It comes highly recommended, but it’s open by invitation only, so you have to find a MoM friend who is on Facebook to arrange for an invite. It’s open to moms of multiples or moms expecting multiples within a 50-mile radius of Minneapolis.

mnparent.com • September 2016

BABY RESOURCES Childcare

Education

Especially for Children

Midwest Doulas

For 40 years, Especially for Children has provided high quality, nurturing childcare for Twin Cities families. Our NAEYC accredited programs and caring staff foster the development of the whole child. Bloomington, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Inver Grove Heights 952-857-1100 especiallyforchildren.com

St. David’s Center for Children & Family Development

St. David’s Center, a leader in early childhood education and early intervention and treatment. Our Minnetonka Center includes an inclusive preschool, pediatric therapy clinic (speech, OT, feeding therapies), autism center and children’s mental health clinic. 3395 Plymouth Rd, Minnetonka 952-548-8700 stdavidscenter.org

Dentists Dentistry for Children & Adolescents Our dentists and team members are committed to providing your child with the highest standard of pediatric dental care from birth to age 19. We believe with good home care, regular dental visits, and preventive procedures, your child can grow up cavity free. Edina: 7373 France Ave S #402 952-831-4400 Burnsville: 14050 Nicollet Ave S #100 952-435-4102 Minnetonka: 6060 Clearwater Dr #210 952-932-0920 childrensdent.com

Maplewood Pediatric Dentistry

At Maplewood Pediatric Dentistry, our pediatric dentists and their team provide gentle encouragement in a child-friendly atmosphere to children ages 1-18. We build trust with your child, so that he or she will love going to the dentist now and forever. 1915 County Rd D E, Maplewood 651-779-9002 maplewoodpediatricdentistry.com

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Birth Doulas, Lactation Counselors and Placenta Specialists. We believe women make the best decisions to bring their babies into the world, as long as they know their options. Birth is best when women are supported. In other words, Know Your Options, Own Your Birth! 101 E 10th Street #612, St. Paul 612-234-2208 mwdoulas.com

Minnetonka Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) Explore new parenting experiences, meet other families, and grow and learn together with your child. ECFE serves all families with children ages birth–kindergarten. Get the information, friendship, and support you need parenting a young child. 4584 Vine Hill Rd, Excelsior 952-401-6812 minnetonkacommunityed.org

Mis Amigos Spanish Immersion

“Giving Children The World.” Serving ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Half- and Full-day options available. Native Spanish speaking teachers. Call or email to schedule a tour today! Parent Aware Highest Rating – 4 stars. NAEYC-accredited. Hopkins: 952-935-5588 Minnetonka: 952-935-5588 St. Paul: 651-728-3261 misamigosimmersion.com

Wooddale Academy

Wooddale Academy serves families with children ages 6 weeks to 5 years with fulland half-day options. The Academy strives to teach the values of the Christian faith along with the Core Knowledge Sequence curriculum. The Academy provides a solid coherent foundation for later learning in Kindergarten and beyond. 6630 Shady Oak Rd, Eden Prairie 952-944-3770 wooddaleacademy.org

Fitness St. Paul Ballet

Learn ballet at any age! St. Paul Ballet offers ballet classes to students ages 3-100 at any level. Classes are offered on a drop-in and full term basis. Mommy and me classes are scheduled to start in late summer!

655 Fairview Ave N, St. Paul 1680 Grand Ave, St. Paul 651-219-5741 spballet.org

Health Care Children’s Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota

Children’s Minnesota is the largest pediatric health system in the state, with two hospitals and emergency rooms, three surgery centers, six specialty care and physical rehabilitation sites, and 12 primary care clinics. Children’s Minnesota, for the most amazing people on earth. Locations throughout the Twin Cities childrensmn.org/locations-all 612-813-6000 childrensmn.org

Fairview Health Services

Fairview offers everything you need for obstetric and pediatric care. From family planning to delivering an exceptional birth experience and beyond, The Birthplace and Fairview Clinics is an easy choice. 612-672-7272 fairview.org/parents

Other Engelmeier & Umanah, P.A.

A unique law firm dedicated to legal planning for parents and families through unique systems designed for the wellbeing and care of your most precious asset — your children. We design plans that are reflective of your changing lives and assets. 706 Second Ave S #100, Minneapolis 612-455-7720 e-ulaw.com

International Assisted Reproduction Center

The premiere Midwest surrogacy agency, connecting Surrogates with Intended Parents to build families. We coordinate the experience from start-to-finish so you can focus on enjoying the pregnancy. Accepting Surrogates now! 11270 86th Ave N, Maple Grove 763-494-8800 surrogates-eggdonors.com

Resources Bellies to Babies

Bellies to Babies offers tens of thousands

mnparent.com/baby of previously loved maternity clothes throughout our two Twin Cities locations and at belliestob.com. Plus, get cash on the spot for selling your items back to us. Richfield: 6634 Penn Ave S 612-869-0164 Osseo: 8833 Jefferson Hwy 763-420-1066 belliestob.com

Better Beginnings

As postpartum doulas and lactation professionals, we provide customized in-home support for families welcoming new babies. With advanced training in supporting families with multiples, we offer individual and package services, as well as in-home private baby and breastfeeding education. Gift certificates available. Location subject to customer preference 651-747-6954 betterbeginningsmn.com

Help Me Grow MN

Young children grow, learn and change all the time. Keep track of the developmental milestones your child reaches. If you have concerns about your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development, talk to your doctor or refer your child by calling or visiting our website. 866-693-4769 helpmegrowmn.org

La Leche League of Minnesota & the Dakotas La Leche League has offered free breastfeeding support to families for 60 years. Anyone can call or email an LLL Leader when breastfeeding concerns arise. There are LLL Groups all over Minnesota and the Dakotas offering free monthly meetings. 612-922-4996 lllofmndas.org

Parent Aware

Parent Aware helps families find the quality care and education their children need to succeed. Parent Aware is a search partner. We work side-by-side with families, offering free resources to help them make informed choices about highquality care and education. Statewide locations 888-291-9811 parentaware.org

Early Childhood Family Education You are your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first and most important teacher. Join Minnetonka Public Schools Early Childhood and Family Education. Become the best parent you can be. minnetonkacommunityed.org 952-401-6812

Out & About

SEPTEMBER

mnparent.com/calendar

ONGOING

Forces at Play ⊲⊲This new exhibit — the first of 10 new features coming to the museum as part of a $30 million expansion — encourages critical thinking skills through open-ended, hands-on activities. Kids will get to create ball launchers with a variety of hoses, tubes, connectors and valves; test their own contraptions; create and test chain reactions using unusual materials; and imagine new ways to configure water hoses, brushes and sprayers. When: Opens Aug. 27 Where: Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul Cost: Museum admission is $9.95 for ages 1 and older. Info: mcm.org

Renaissance Festival ⊲⊲Immerse yourself in a 16th-century European village, featuring 12 stages of musicians, magicians, jugglers and mimes, including more than 500 engaging memorable characters. More than 250 artisans fill the festival marketplace to create a unique shopping experience.

SEPT. 24

Get Out and Grow Fall Festival ⊲⊲Explore the outdoors, participate in children’s activities and visit food trucks at this 10th-annual event, held for the first time on the grounds of the newly renovated St. David’s Center, including a 2.5-acre DNR-certified school forest integrated into a new, accessible playground. Activities include a climbing wall, a Minnesota Zoo Zoomobile, Putt Putt for Clean Water, a visit from Smokey Bear, The Bug Zone, a Kidsdance DJ dance party, yoga and more. When: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sept. 24, preceded by a 5K Fun Run at 9 a.m. along picturesque Minnehaha Creek Where: St. David’s Center, Minnetonka Cost: FREE. Race fees apply. Info: stdavidscenter.org/festival-5k

September 2016 • mnparent.com

When: Weekends Aug. 20–Oct. 2, plus Monday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day) and Festival Friday on Sept. 30 Where: Seven miles south of Shakopee. The festival will move to a new home in 2020. Cost: $23.95; $14.95 for ages 5 to 12, $21.95 for ages 62 and older. Buy tickets online or at local stores to save money and avoid lines at the event. Info: renaissancefest.com

Minnesota State Fair ⊲⊲The Great Minnesota Get-Together is one of the largest expositions in the world, attracting 1.8 million visitors every year, showcasing Minnesota’s finest agriculture, horticulture, art and industry, plus carnival rides, games, live music and food vendors aplenty.

When: Aug. 25–Sept. 5. Kids Day is Sept. 5 with gate admission reduced to $8 for ages 5 to 12. Seniors & Kids Day is Aug. 29 with gate admission reduced to $8 for ages 65 and older and ages 5 to 12. Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul Cost: Advanced tickets start at $10. Daily gate admission is $13 for ages 13–64; $11 for ages 5–12 and 65 and older; and free for ages 4 and younger. Info: mnstatefair.org

SEPT. 9–11

Taste of Greece ⊲⊲Sample authentic Greek food and handmade desserts, and enjoy live music, dancing, church tours, a Greek boutique, and a kids’ area with inflatables at this annual festival with proceeds benefiting charitable organizations. When: Sept. 9–11 Where: St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, Minneapolis Cost: Admission is free. Food tickets are $1 each. Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring three nonperishable food items to receive two free food tickets. Info: mplsgreekfest.org

SEPT. 9–OCT. 30

Sever’s Corn Maze and Fall Festival ⊲⊲Now celebrating its 20th year, this destination features corn and hay-bale mazes, an exotic petting zoo, a giant slide, pumpkin blasters, pig races, zip lines, a gourd walk and many other activities and special events. When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 9–Oct. 30, plus Oct. 20–21 Where: Shakopee Cost: $15 for ages 4 and older at the door. Go online for discounted tickets and coupons. Info: severscornmaze.com

SEPT. 10

Nativity County Fair

Minneapolis Monarch Festival

⊲⊲Check out rides, games, food and beverages, plus an art market, creative activities, live and silent auctions, bingo and ongoing live entertainment, all organized by volunteers with the Nativity of our Lord Parish & School.

⊲⊲Celebrate the Monarch butterfly’s amazing 2,300-mile migration from Minnesota to the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico, with music, a parade, dance performances, art activities and games, plus Minnesotan and Latin food. Monarch butterflies raised by volunteers will be tagged with small stickers and released. Also known as Festival de la Monarca, this annual festival will feature activities conducted in Spanish and English.

When: Sept. 16–18 Where: 1900 Stanford Ave., St. Paul Cost: Admission is free. Info: nativitycountyfair.org

When: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 10 Where: 49th Street and Woodlawn Blvd., Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: monarchfestival.org

Bellyrama ⊲⊲Join a celebration of mothers, bellies, birth and babies at this yoga festival. Enjoy music, dancing, yoga, face painting, belly mapping, vendors and giveaways. Blooma founder Sarah Longacre will introduce a new clothing line for moms — Navel — including postpartum pants with a removable 9-inch bellyband. When: 9 a.m.–noon Sept. 10 Where: Lake Harriet Bandshell, Minneapolis Cost: FREE Info: RSVP at blooma.com.

SEPT. 16–18

Photo by Mark Connolly

SEPT. 17

Wild Rice Festival ⊲⊲Celebrate wild rice — including Minnesota’s harvest season and Native American culture — at this annual festival, featuring activities, educational presentations, engaging exhibits and food trucks. View historical vignettes, including a replica tipi with representative artifacts of traditional Dakotah life as well as honey-extraction and cider-pressing demonstrations. When: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 17 Where: Harriet Alexander Nature Center, Roseville Cost: FREE Info: wildricefestival.org

St. Paul Oktoberfest

Excelsior Apple Day

⊲⊲Enjoy beers, bratwurst and authentic German cuisine at this annual event, including the centuries-old German traditions of bed races, polka dancing, strongman competitions and, of course, beer songs and games, plus a family-fun area with blow-up hockey and baseball.

⊲⊲This Lake Minnetonka street festival features live music and local art, crafts, food vendors and a kids’ corner, plus a pie-eating contest, a wine and beer garden that opens at 1 p.m. and an old fashioned street dance in the evening.

When: Sept. 16–18 Where: Rice Park, St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: saintpauloktoberfest.org

When: 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Sept. 17 Where: Downtown Excelsior Cost: FREE Info: excelsior-lakeminnetonkachamber.com mnparent.com • September 2016

Out & About SEPT. 24

Party in the Prairie ⊲⊲Celebrate fall in a natural setting with live music and numerous family-friendly activities: Scale a 25-foot climbing wall, meet live animals and collect insects. Join Hennepin County Libraries for story time in a fort and a self-guided story stroll. Explore the prairie on a digital scavenger hunt or guided hike. Make wind chimes, sample honey, go kayaking and play lawn games. Enjoy craft beer from LTD Brewing and eats from food trucks. Bring a blanket for a picnic. Musical artists will include Charlie Parr, The Murder of Crows (featuring NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert winner Gaelynn Lea and Alan Sparhawk of Low), The May North and Brian Laidlaw. When: 3:30–8:30 p.m. Sept. 24 Where: Richardson Nature Center, Bloomington Cost: $6 online, $8 on the day of the event Info: facebook.com/ richardsonnaturecenter

Museum Day Live! ⊲⊲Smithsonian magazine’s annual event includes free admission to many museums nationwide, including more than a dozen Minnesota museums, such as The Works in Bloomington, Pavek Museum of Broadcasting of St. Louis Park, Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis and Gibbs Farm in St. Paul. When: Sept. 24 Where: Go to smithsonianmag.com/ museumdaylive to see a list of participating Minnesota museums. Cost: FREE. Downloadable tickets, good for two people each, are required. Info: smithsonianmag.com/ museumday

September 2016 • mnparent.com

Photo by Bruce Wilcox

ONGOING

Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails ⊲⊲This popular hands-on STEM-centered exhibit is back to teach little engineers problem solving, mathematics, physics, spatial relations and time telling, too. When: Through Dec. 4 Where: Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul Cost: Museum admission is $9.95 for ages 1 and older. Info: mcm.org

SEPT. 24–OCT. 30

Pumpkin Patch Festival

Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze

⊲⊲This annual event features numerous fall activities and attractions, including corn and straw-bale mazes, games, farm animals, fun houses, pony rides, face painting, a soap box derby, barrel races and more.

⊲⊲This festival, now in its sixth year, boasts Minnesota’s largest corn maze — nearly 20 acres. This year, the maze will pay homage to the Minnesota Vikings with stadium and skyline motifs When: Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 24–Oct. 30, plus Oct. 20–21 Where: 8001 109th Ave. N., Brooklyn Park Cost: Tickets are $10 online or $12 at the gate. Children shorter than 36 inches tall are admitted for free. Info: twincitiesmaze.com

When: Weekends Sept. 24–Oct. 30, plus Oct. 20-21 Where: Nelson Family Farm, Litchfield, 1.5 hours west of the Twin Cities Cost: $9, free for ages 2 and younger Info: nelsonfarm.com

SEPT. 25

Caponi Art Park Medieval Fair ⊲⊲The Middle Ages come to life with authentic costumes, music, dance, weaponry and interactive demonstrations, brought to you by the Society for Creative Anachronism.

PINE TREE

APPLE ORCHARD Apples, of course, and Apple Cider, Apple Bakery - A Family Outing -

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When: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Sept. 25 North of White Bear Lake Off E. Hwy. 96 on Apple Orchard Rd. Where: Caponi Art Park, Eagan www.pinetreeappleorchard.com Cost: Admission is free, though there is a $5 suggested donation per person. Info: caponiartpark.org Pine Tree Orchards MNP 0911 12.indd 1 8/15/11

11:12 AM

Celebrating 40 Years of Family Fun!

Czech and Slovak Festival ⊲⊲Experience the sights, sounds and flavors of Czech, Slovak, Bohemian and Moravian cultures at this annual festival with live music, ethnic food and beer, folk dance performances, children’s games, craft booths and more. When: 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sept. 25 Where: CSPS Hall, 383 Michigan St., St. Paul Cost: FREE Info: sokolmn.org

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Washburn Games ⊲⊲At this annual fund-raiser, ages 4 to 12 can take part a sports sampler featuring more than 20 activities such as lacrosse, cricket, rugby, soccer, karate, football and yoga. All registered participants receive a T-shirt, medal and goodie bag. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Washburn Center for Children, a Twin Cities nonprofit organization helping kids struggling with depression, anxiety and other emotional challenges. When: 1:30–4:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Where: Bryn Mawr Meadows, Minneapolis Cost: $10 in advance, $15 at the event Info: Register at washburngames.org.

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mnparent.com • September 2016

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September 2016 • mnparent.com

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mnparent.com • September 2016

FROM OUR READERS

Cats and dogs!

↑↑On his last day of fourth grade, Morgan Petit, 10, of Maple Grove poses with the family pooch, Bella.

↑↑During a morning of watching his older sister play tennis, Samuel Sloneker, 3½, of St. Paul, found a patch of shade to enjoy with his 11-year-old pups, Duchess (left) and Reagan.

←←Maddie Steele, 2, snacks with her wire fox terrier, Birdie, in New Brighton.

↑↑Six-year-old Robert Stadtler from Brooklyn Park plays with his cat, Hope.

The Sneetches Back to School Giveaway! Parents: Want to see your little darlings on this page and win a pair of tickets to see The Sneetches: The Musical at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis? Send us your back-to-school pictures and we’ll enter you to win two ticket vouchers to the all-ages show, running Feb. 7 to March 26! Please include a photo with your child’s first and last name, age (or grade) in the photo and your city of residence. Email entries to editor@mnparent.com by Sept. 15!

Want to see your kid on this page? Send photos with your child’s first/last name, age and city to editor@mnparent.com.

September 2016 • mnparent.com