Questions For A Naturopath

Here at Baby Vine, we are always receiving a number of questions from you all! Blackmores’ Naturopath, Charmaine Sofia shares some of her answers to some very common questions…

I think I am several weeks pregnant, what do I need to start taking and why?
Congratulations on your pregnancy! If you’re not already doing so, you should start taking a supplement that contains iodine and folic acid at levels recommended for Australian mums. These are essential for your baby’s early development and also support your health as the mother.

Raising A Child Without Gender Stereotypes

Sara Upton shares some tips on raising a child without gender stereotypes.

Walk into any children’s clothing store or toy shop and you’re likely to see two very distinct sections: one for boys and one for girls. While this gender-specific division of a whole slew of products for kids—including toys, clothes, and even toothbrushes—has become fairly standard, it can have a bigger impact on children (and their development) than most people realise. As harmless as the idea of pink for girls and blue for boys may seem, these gender norms are too limiting and can make kids feel like they have to be something they’re not. In turn, this can keep kids from being as healthy and happy as possible. Here are three simple ways to avoid gender stereotypes at home to encourage children to learn, play, and grow with fewer limitations and more choices.

How To Develop Your Child’s Speech

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Senior Speech Pathologist from the Royal Children’s Hospital Candice Brady shares some tips on how to develop your child’s speech.

The best way to develop your baby’s communication skills is to talk to them, watch them, listen to them, play with them and share books with them. This can be done from day 1! Babies learn to speak by listening, playing with sounds and talking to others. Babies first learn to understand language, then use it (talking). Engaging with your child is very important. Baby’s brains are like little sponges; they take everything in! Studies have shown that the more words a child hears in the first few years, the broader vocabulary they have at school age.

How To Help Your Child Handle Their Emotions

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As a little child discovering the world for the first time, emotions can be very challenging. Early childhood teacher, Avril Mahony, shares how to handle big feelings.

In early childhood (just like adulthood) there are many constants. As both adults and children, we all laugh at a game of Peek-a-boo. Feelings only get bigger as we get older, however it takes some time for our understanding of them to catch up! When your child is facing a moment where they are having trouble controlling emotions there are many ways you can help.

Setting Up A Kids Bank Account

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Financial expert David Rankin answers your questions and shares his knowledge on setting up a kids bank account.

Open accounts for your children as early in their young lives as you can. It might not be at the top of your to-do list at the time, but it can have such a positive impact on your children’s lives that, one day, they will thank you for it.

Toilet Training Bribery

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There is no golden rule to getting a child out of nappies and into undies, and I’ve found a little toilet training bribery can go a long way.

Every child is different. It doesn’t matter how old they are, some children are just naturally ready to toilet train earlier than others. Apparently when I was 18 months old, I’d had enough of nappies. My mum wasn’t convinced. It took her another four months before she was ready, and within a week I was toilet trained night and day (and yes, she did feel guilty for making me wait). I can only hope to get so lucky with Cassie!