Parenting 101: 22 March
Jenni Johnson, our resident ‘Baby Whisperer’, has been a practicing child-care practitioner for 15 years, and owns a busy ante and post natal clinic in Durban. This week she talks about discipline and pregnancy, among other things.
* I advise the parents in my clinic not to expect too much when disciplining their toddler! It's normal for this age group to test your reactions by doing things over and over - even after you've told them not to. This is how they learn what's acceptable and what the limits are.
* Teaching your child to eat healthily and mindfully is a lifetime investment. To prevent food wars, accept that each person is different and unique in how they eat and what they prefer to eat. You as a parent decide what to offer - healthy foods; when to eat - meal times not throughout the day; and where to eat - a table and chair. Your child decides what she's going to eat and how much.
* You know how your children love nothing better than having you play actively with them? And you really, really don't enjoy her favourite game of dressing her doll? Set an egg timer for 15 minutes and be extra enthusiastic about her favourite game. Your enthusiasm will let her relax and the game will be creative and fun.
* Women who are significantly overweight when they fall pregnant face extra challenges, managing a natural birth being one of them. This is not the time however to go on diet. Nutrition for overweight women is essentially the same as for every other pregnant woman. You may be overweight and because of negative feedback you may be doubting your body’s ability to work well. The super-sized woman's desire to become a mother - just like anyone else - needs to be honoured.
* Breast milk changes from colostrum in the beginning to a transitional milk, to mature milk by 7 weeks, and this happens without the breastfeeding mum doing a thing. What you eat affects the taste of your milk. On hot days breast milk will be more thirst quenching for baby. Milk produced in cold countries is different to hot climates. The body is nothing short of miraculous really!
* Catch Jenni on-air every day just after 10am with her tip of the day.
At Jenni’s ante and post natal clinic in Durban, parents are taught a system that gives them structure and routine to the baby and childhood years. Jenni has a nursing background. She’s a registered nurse, midwife, psychiatric nurse and private nurse practitioner.
Jenni’s online clinic, can be accessed online via www.jennisays.com. For appointments, e-mail [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter via @JenniSays or on Facebook by 'liking' The Berea Baby Clinic.