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| I worry about my 4-month-old sleeping with a loose-fitting blanket, and he seems to have outgrown his swaddles, but I don’t want to just put him to sleep without something to keep him warm. What do I do? —Sharon, Bridgeport, NY | |
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I had the same question—and I was especially nervous when my son started turning over. I worried that the swaddle would hinder his ability to turn back over again. I found—and used—the Halo SleepSack ($32.95, www.halosleep.com), a wearable blanket. The American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends the use of wearable blankets. They even make them with 100 percent organic cotton and in sizes ranging from infants to 5T. Seriously, it’s been saving my sanity lately—and my sleep. |
| I remember reading a while ago that Gwyneth Paltrow made her own baby food. I always thought I’d do the same, but now that the time is here, I realize that there’s no way I am going to do it. Basically, I just want the food to be pure and organic. No chemicals, no additives. Is there an organic baby food company that you can recommend? —Sherry, Wayne, IN | ||
 Yes! I am obsessed with the food from pomme bébé (www.pommebebe.com). Well, I mean, I’m obsessed with brie, chocolate and avocados, but for my son, I am obsessed with pomme bébé. I really feel like it’s the closest that you can come to real, pure baby food without having to whip out the blender and pulse away. I love the clean and chic packaging, the seasonal menu options and the fact that you can order it all online. The site itself gives good, inspiring information, too. For example, here’s what they say about their Green Pea Puree: “pomme bébé favorite—This first eaters’ favorite vegetable is blended to a smooth texture that leaves all the natural sweetness. Our peas are bursting with important nutrients, including 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein.” Doesn’t that make you want to order it—even if you don’t have a baby? They offer the basic usual suspects for babes 6-plus months, delish blends for kiddos 8 months and up, and some fabulous whole foods for the tot set (like turkey meatballs made with a hidden broccoli puree—they’ll never know!). It’s all fresh, organic, whole grain, gluten-free superfoods to the rescue. |
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| Should my 4-year-old get the flu shot? What’s the deal with it? Really. Please help. —Jennifer, Alexandria, VA |
I don’t know, Jennifer. I really don’t. I didn’t give my daughter the shot until this year (she’s 3 and in school). Her pediatrician strongly urged it as a precaution against infecting my infant son. It’s a personal decision—up to the point that the school starts to mandate it, which I’m surmising your kid’s school doesn’t yet. I recently interviewed pediatrician and parenting expert Dr. Robert Sears. He told me that he doesn't pressure his patients into getting the shot, though he does recommend it. He did warn me against getting having my kids get a flu shot with mercury in it. Yes! You read that correctly. Some flu shots still have mercury in them.Dr. Bob, as he is known, says: “The flu vaccine is now the only one that still has mercury in the vaccine. Mercury has been taken out of all the other shots. Now whether or not mercury actually contributed to autism or was a problem back when they used to have mercury in many of the shots, I’m not really sure. For parents deciding about vaccines now, the whole mercury issue is kind of a moot point because there isn’t mercury in the shots anymore, except for the flu shot. So whether or not all that mercury was harmful, I think ongoing research is going to give us the answer someday but it’s not much of an issue for parents to be worried about now when it comes to all the routine childhood vaccines. But with the flu shot it’s different, and I can tell you that the bottom line is that as long as you know how to stay away from mercury in the flu shots, you can actually get all the vaccines completely mercury-free. So parents don’t even really need to worry about whether or not there is a connection between mercury and autism because you can get everything mercury-free now." Click here to read what else she has to say on this often sore subject. (Sorry, had to go with the pun!) To find out which brands don't have mercury in them, go to www.askdrsears.com/thevaccinebook |
