If you have been working with your toddler on potty training, you’ve probably had a good number of “accidents”. Accidents in potty training can be discouraging to both child and parent and may make the stretch from diapers seem wider than it really is.

You may feel that you have lost progress when a child suddenly has an accident, but occasional potty training accidents are all part of the process. It may have nothing to do with the success of your technique, but may be the child’s reaction to a change, like a trip to a relative’s house or a birthday party.

When these accidents happen, there are few things to keep in mind. As with many other challenges in child rearing, a positive attitude is the best weapon against potty training accidents. Try to remove the emphasis from the potty training accident itself and place it on making more progress and remembering successes.

Positive feedback is a much more important tool than making negative statements. Celebrating another dry night is more effective than reminding the child he keeps wetting himself.

If potty training accidents start happening frequently, look to external factors to try and diagnose the situation. Your child may have a medical issue like a urinary tract infection or constipation. Remember, he may not have the words to try explain what’s happening or what he feels. He may be putting off going to the toilet because he does not know how to deal with an unfamiliar condition.

Another common reason for regression is the arrival of a sibling. Many couples these days choose to space their kids by about two years. Of course, two is primo potty training time, and you may see a surge in potty training accidents upon the arrival of a newcomer who is suddenly absorbing all parental attention. Respond to this situation with understanding.

Remain firm about your shared goals for potty training, but take time to discuss what’s going on and give your child a chance to talk about his thoughts.

You might have heard of the term SIDS before. Some parents may be told that the cause of their infant’s death is SIDS. If you know nothing more about this condition than the fact that it is strongly linked with infant sleep, then you should try to improve your knowledge about it. After all, SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants from 1 month to one year. Knowing about SIDS might help ensure that you can help prevent your baby from having it.

What Is It?

It stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It refers to swift and quick deaths of infants while sleeping. A parent could wake up in the morning and simply find the baby dead in his crib. This condition is a little mysterious because the causes are not completely known and SIDS could happen even to babies who are completely healthy. SIDS as a cause of death could only later be concluded by a medical expert.

What Is The Common Cause?

At present, the identifiable cause for SIDS cannot be determined. Doctors and scientists are still really trying to figure out the reason for it. There are however, some studies which point out that some beliefs about SIDS causes may simply not be true. It purports that SIDS is not contagious and is not a hereditary condition. SIDS is also not caused by suffocation.

There are some theories as to the possible causes of SIDS. Some experts think that SIDS could be caused by infections, respiratory obstacles or some inborn defects. There are also some who theorize that SIDS could possibly be caused by toxins and chemicals found in the baby’s mattress, beddings and sheets. As for now, all these are theories that need further scientific backing.

Does This Phenomenon Have Risk Factors?

Of course, it cannot be predicted which babies will have this condition, but there are several risk factors which may increase the risk of SIDS. It is believed that mothers who have poor health during pregnancy increase the possibility that their infants could later die of SIDS. Unhealthy infants that are the result of poor maternal health or poor pre natal care could also therefore be candidates for SIDS. It is also believed that mothers who are smokers or drug users during pregnancy are also increase the risk of their infants. Of course, smoking in the presence of your infant after birth is also always unhealthy and might just be a risk factor too.

Note that SIDS cases mostly occur between 2 to 4 months. According to statistics, male babies also have slightly higher incidences of SIDS compared to female infants.

What You Can Do To Prevent It

While it may be hard to prevent something which has no clear cause, it is always a good idea to take extra precaution against SIDS. For example, promoting certain baby sleeping patterns and habits is advisable. One of the first major recommendations is that babies should always be put on their backs when they are asleep. It is also recommended that cribs should be kept free of clutter, toys, extra pillows and even blankets during a baby’s sleep time.

Have you ever wondered how mothers managed without diapers in the past or how families toilet train in different cultures? There is an age period from birth to 6 months and that some babies remain receptive beyond this age to teach your baby potty training.

The basics of infant potty training involve learning your infant’s body language, timing, patterns, in relation to feeding and waking In addition, many mothers instinctively know when their babies need to go. In short, it’s about communication between you and your baby.

The goal of infant potty training is to toilet train a child while still an infant. Some parents begin this from birth. It’s a very controversial issue with most experts agreeing that an infant does not have the neurological or physical development necessary to actually learn to control her bowels and bladder at this age. Mostly, it is the parent who is trained to hold the infant on a potty seat until she goes.

Opposing Views

Proponents claim there are many advantages to infant potty training though not much scientific data can validate such findings. They claim infant potty training means that the baby and their mothers can bond well together. It is easier on the infant and more comfortable for them as well. In addition, infant potty training allows the baby to become more independent and it also helps in reducing diaper waste, while it is also a natural and normal thing to teach your baby.

Opponents of infant potty training point to the futility of trying to force a child to learn something before she is capable of doing it. They compare it to trying to teach an infant to walk or talk at birth; the baby just isn’t ready to do it. They feel the time spent holding an infant on a potty chair would be better spent letting the baby be a baby.

The gap between the two sides leaves parents to decide what is best for their child. Is the effort, when the child is so young, worth it? Only you can decide that.

Cribs can come in different types. The type that is getting more and more common these days is the portable crib. What benefits are there in getting a portable crib and what are the things to watch out for in picking one?

Portable vs. Non Portable

Needless to say, it’s major advantage from a typical crib is that it can be folded and handily brought around during trips. These cribs usually come in different shapes and sizes and can be made of metal, wood or plastic. Most popular plastic models have fine meshes instead of rails on the sides. Portable cribs are usually smaller in size than typical cribs which is why they are handier. The size and features however of a portable crib are still subject to government safety standards.

Benefits of a Portable Crib

Parents who are frequent travelers or who move around a lot can benefit most from a portable crib. This type of crib can be carried around easily and can provide the kind of comfort and security that your baby has been used to in his home crib. Portable cribs also double as play spaces. This makes it perfect for families who would like some freedom to enjoy a picnic with the baby around.

Feature and Safety Tips

Not all portable cribs were made the same. Before you pick just any model or before you decide on how to use it, you should remember a couple of good tips.

- Always keep yourself updated on recalled models. Although most cribs have been designed with safety in mind, some models may sport features that may not immediately seem dangerous. After some time though, these products may be recalled because manufacturers and users have noticed a design flaw that may make it dangerous. Recall information is always available online. Even if your model is brand new, make sure to check regularly if there is a recall order for it.

- It’s always good to check the parts before you buy and after you buy, while your baby is already using it. This will help ensure that your crib has no chipped parts that could injure your baby. Pay special attention to the locks of the crib. Broken locks could cause a crib to collapse on your baby.

- Make sure that the mesh is made of a tight material and does not have overly large holes. A mesh that does not meet current safety standards could rip and injure your baby. He could also get his fingers caught in large holes. There are suggestions that the wire mesh should be on all sides and not just on two sides. Such a design can provide proper air flow.

- The rail collapsing mechanism should not immediately collapse on a downward V. The safe kind of portable crib model is the one that has rails that move up in a V before collapsing down. This is a safety feature that can protect your baby from an accidental collapse.

- As much as possible, avoid cribs that have controls that are accessible to your baby. Your baby could tamper with controls on the side and cause a crib to collapse.

There are ways in which a couple can increase their chances of conceiving a baby boy and in this article we look at one way of how to conceive a boy. It is important that if the couple want the sperm which contains the male gene reaches the egg first to fertilize it they need to know exactly when the woman is ovulating. The best way of being able to determine when a woman is ovulating is by using a prediction kit.

Today ovulation prediction kits are proving very popular with many couples as an easy way for them to detect when a woman is about to ovulate. The main benefit to be gained from using an ovulation prediction kit (OPK) is that it can tell the woman when ovulation is about to begin before it does actually occur. These kits are able to detect when there is an increase in the production of Luteinizing Hormone in the woman’s uterus, and this normally occurs around 36 hours prior to ovulation taking place.

There are two kits which can now be used for predicting when a woman is about to start ovulating today. There is either the test strip device or the midstream device, which although they work in the same way, need to be used differently. The test stream method needs the woman to urinate into a container and then the device is dipped into this for several seconds. Whereas with the midstream method the device needs to be held below the vagina and the urine is allowed to stream on to it when the woman goes to the toilet. Generally with this second method you have to wait around 5 minutes before a result is provided.

But there are other things you can do that will help you know when ovulation is taking place when you decide to use an ovulation prediction kit. Below we offer a few tips that may be useful if you choose to use an ovulation kit in order to when you when trying to conceive a boy.

Tip 1 - To obtain a better idea of when to use a ovulation prediction test the couple should also use a chart for recording the woman’s body’s basal temperature. Using this chart will then help them to look back and see when ovulation is taking place normally.

Tip 2 - Many couples feel that just testing once a day using an ovulation prediction kit will be sufficient, but this is not the case. To really be aware of when there is an increase in the production of the Luteinizing Hormone in the woman’s uterus the kits should be used twice each day.

Tip 3 - It is important that the tests be carried out at the same time each day and you do not necessarily have to do it in the morning. It can be done at any time just as long as you do it at the same time each day following the first test carried out. By keeping to these set times for testing then the couple are far less likely to miss the period of time when the amounts of Luteinizing Hormone being produced rises.

Tip 4 - It is crucial that the ovulation prediction kit should be used until the level of Luteinizing Hormone in the uterus shows a marked difference. As soon as this difference has been identified then in order to increase the chances of the couple being able to conceive a boy they should make love within 36 hours of this event occurring.

Most parents dread potty training, especially because most of the advice they are getting about it is contradictory. The good news is, potty training does not have to be hard if parents follow a few simple steps.

A Team Effort

Before beginning potty training, parents need to agree the time is right. They also need to agree on the words to be used to discuss potty training with the child.

After the parents have made the decisions regarding methods and words to be used, be sure to inform other care givers who will need to help your child use the bathroom.

Show and Tell

Educating your child about her body and its functions is the first step in easy potty training. She needs to learn how her body works and what the feelings coming from her bladder and bowels mean.

This doesn’t need to be highly scientific, keep your conversations with her at her level and use the words you’ve chosen for her training.

The next step is to let your child go to the bathroom with you. She’s probably been doing this anyway, so use the time to explain to her that everyone goes potty.

Children are naturally curious, she’ll ask plenty of questions, answer them plainly and simply. If your child hasn’t been following you into the bathroom already, you may feel a little invaded at first.

It’s important to relax so she gets the message that using the bathroom is a natural process and everyone does it.

Praise Praise Praise

Praise all her efforts and reward her successes. She will be eager to do it again. One of the best rewards are stickers she can put on a potty chart to celebrate times she used the potty or had a dry night.

All in all, your child is just as eager to be potty trained as you are. She’s starting to see the difference between babies and big kids and wants to be one as quickly as possible (because they have all the fun!).

Let her learn at her own pace and your diaper days will soon be over.