LadyBex Nutrition

A lot of these I don’t deal with, because I prefer my life to be natural. I don’t use birth control, because I feel God views babies as a heritage, and as gifts. We can choose to reject the gifts, but we are rejecting His blessings. As for discharge, my midwife continually asked about color and whether it itched. I don’t worry about getting pregnant. The only man I have had sex with is my husband, so if there is no adultery, and I am not worried about pregnancy, I don’t need to worry about unprotected sex. I eat healthy and exercise so that cancer is not a worry. Since I am either pregnant or nursing a new baby, tampons aren’t a concern. I use a pad instead, but I have had very few periods in 13 years. Yeast infections are fed by refined sugar and white flour. I recommend avoiding those. I now wish I hadn’t even pierced my ears, let alone anything else. I use a razor, not wax. By the way, silvadene is what Jim used after his burns.

Body AOL

Believe it or not, your doctor really has heard it all. We talked to doctors and got answers to some of the strangest questions they’ve been asked, as well as questions you can’t skip.

Q: What is normal vaginal discharge?

According to Mary Jane Minkin, M.D. and clinical professor, obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive science at Yale University School of Medicine, normal vaginal discharge should be whitish to clear to pale yellow, depending on where you are in your cycle. “Dark yellow or green fluid is often a sign of infection. On average, a woman emits about one to two teaspoons a day. If you have a sudden increase, talk to you doctor,” she explains.

Q: Can I get pregnant if I have unprotected sex during my period?

“Having sex during your period does not prevent pregnancy, ” says Dr. Minkin. Only 30 percent of women ovulate between the 10th and 17th days of their cycles; the other 70 percent ovulate before or after those days. She adds, “If the release of the egg, which can live for one to three days, meets with the lingering live sperm, then you can get pregnant.”

Q: Am I more likely to become pregnant if I don’t remember to take the pill every day?

In simple terms, the answer is yes. Dr. Minkin advises it is extremely important to take the pill at the same time every day in order for it to be effective. For women who frequently forget to take the pill, she suggests lower maintenance options such as the patch, once-monthly vaginal ring, IUD or three-year implant.

Q: Is the HPV eventually going to replace the PAP test?

According to Tom Herzog, M.D. and director of the division of gynecologic oncology at Columbia University Medical Center, the answer is no. The current screening standard is for a Pap Test alone or in combo with HPV testing in women over 30. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine comparing Pap testing to HPV testing favored HPV. He explains, “However, this article did not compare HPV testing to the liquid-based Pap test, which is more sensitive than the conventional smear and the standard of care. Further studies are needed before we can answer this question. Until then, the Pap remains pivotal in cervical cancer screening.”

Q: TSS fact or fiction?

TSS or “toxic shock syndrome” is a bacterial infection caused by bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, which can actually be life-threatening. Symptoms include faintness, fever, and muscle aches. Machelle Seibel, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the complicated menopause program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School explains, “The infection has been linked to tampon use as some tampons can be ideal breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria.” As for his advice? Wash your hands and use tampons with the lowest absorbency that can handle your menstrual flow.

Q: What do recurring yeast infections mean?

According to Juan Remos, M.D. and MBA of the MIAMI Institute, yeast infections result in an abnormality of fungus and bacteria which no longer exist in harmony. Whether it’s the symptoms of foul smell or intense itching, he recommends seeing a doctor who will typically prescribe medication to cure the yeast infection, such as a pill taken on a daily basis.

Q: What if I forget to remove my tampon?

According to Dr. Remos, patients may think this is shocking and abnormal but in reality, it is not. Apparently, forgetting to remove a tampon is a common occurrence. The issue arises when the length of time is factored into the equation. He mentions if it’s less than two to three days it’s typically not serious and there’s no risk of death; the patient should not panic. He explains, “It’s simply a matter of removing the tampon at that point.”

Infected Piercing Go see a doctor immediately, especially if it is a genital piercing. Dr. Seibel advises, “When you are dealing with such sensitive areas, it is important to always be mindful of the potential for severe illness as a result of infection, and to be extremely rigorous about cleaning and disinfecting the area at all times.”

Q: What if I get a Brazilian wax and the burning sensation doesn’t stop?

“Ouch!” says Dr. Remos. As for his first recommendation, remove the wax immediately if it hasn’t already been removed. As for his advice? Keep the area clean and dry and go to your doctor who will likely prescribe sylvadene, a cream, especially if the burning sensation continues after the actual waxing. It should take seven to ten days to heal.

I have been concerned for about three days that I can’t keep a train of thought. I can’t focus. I can’t concentrate. I tried to force myself to think, but it was like my brain was resistant, and would rather be on vacation. Three nights ago, I had to be asked, “Do you need something else?”, because I was still standing in a restaurant after my take-out food had been given to me.

At first, I thought I was short on sleep, but when the problem continued after 10 hours of sleep, I was still concerned. Then, I thought I was short on folic acid, but after eating dark green veggies, I was still in a fog.

I read this e-mail from a friend about cross-crawl exercises. I tried one exercise one time, and it was like the airhead melted away, and I could think again. I was amazed. I went ahead and did the recommended repetitions. Then I tried the You Tube exercises with the guy on the video. I was again amazed at how the crossed hands and crossed legs immediately melted away the stress and worry, and replaced it with calm.

Try it for yourself. I noticed immediate results, although I am not sure how long they lasted.

You Tube

Natural Health Techniques

The Cross Crawl is simply a cross-lateral walking in place exercise. By touching the right elbow to the left knee and then the left elbow to the right knee, large areas of both brain hemispheres are activated at the same time. Cross Crawling, like walking and being totally present to the motion of walking, facilitates balanced nerve activation across the corpus callosum (that part in your brain that connects the right half to the left half.) When done on a regular basis, more nerve networks form and more connection are made in the corpus callosum, thus making communication between the two hemispheres faster and more integrated for high level reasoning.

I did this exercise fairly frequently when I first started my path to wellness. I remember most of my life, people would call me “spacey”, “space cadet,” “Airhead,” “Dizzy,” and “Blonde.” I think this exercise really helped me overcome much of my dyslexia. And, no…I don’t get called those names anymore. Well… maybe it’s because I surround myself with a better quality group of friends and companions as well… but that’s another story.

The Cross Crawl movements should be performed very slowly. When the exercise is done slowly, it requires more fine motor involvement and balance, consciously activating the vestibular system and the frontal lobes. The more fine muscle involvement, the more frontal lobe involvement in conjunction with the basal ganglion of the limbic brain and the cerebellum of the brain stem.

Cross Crawl is excellent for activating full mind /body function, especially for those with dyslexia, stroke, or other debilitating diseases needing lots of physical therapy in order to relearn daily functions.

Cross Crawl should be done as a daily exercise.

How to do the Cross Crawl Exercise:

1) Start off with thumping the K-27 points, which is and acupuncture point on either side of the upper sternum. Doing this will help your body be present while exercising and it also stimulates the immune system.

2) Bend your right leg at the knee, while swinging your left arm in front of you across the centerline of your body. Touch your left elbow to your right knee.

3) Now bend your left leg at the knee and touch your right elbow to the left knee.

4) Feel the energies crossing over, invigorating you. Try to repeat the exercise 25 times for each leg. Really build that habit into your energy field.

If doing the cross crawl seems hard or you find yourself lifting the arm and leg on the same side of the body at the same time or if you feel down in the dumps… then it’s likely that your energies aren’t crossing over from one side of the body to the other. That’s a condition known as homolateral (which means samesidedness.) When our energies are running straight up and down instead of in sweeping 8’s, we have access to only about 50% of our energies. Because of this, it’s hard to process information, heal, learn, grow, change, and create.

The Homolateral Crawl:

Anyone can do this exercise, but it’s most effective for people whose energies are running up and down instead of crossing over from left to right and right to left. Try it and see if it makes you feel more focused and alive. Everyone is different. You need to find the exercise that works for you, then branch out and stretch a bit to different exercises.

If you feel better after doing this exercise, try incorporating it into your life three times a day for 30 days. This is how long it takes to form a new habit. You’re replacing an old ingrained habit with a new one… so show your body you are serious about making the change.

It’s best to do this sitting or lying down, because we’re going to challenge our bodies to do something unfamiliar and you don’t want to strain yourself.

The whole premise of this exercise is to HONOR the current rhythms and habits of our energies and then invite our energies to try something new.

1) Lift your right arm and your right leg. Then put them both down.

2) Lift your left arm and your left leg. Then put them both down.

3) Repeat steps 1 & 2 about 12 times for each side for a total of 24 repetitions. This will get you in tune with the homolateral pattern. You’re inviting your body to do what it recognizes.

4) Now do the Cross Crawl exercise above for another 24 repetitions (12 repetitions for each side of the body.)

Remember to breathe and rest as you go. There’s no hurry. Take your time.

Feeling Free

When energy is unable to cross over,
it slows down dramatically.
It begins to move in a homolateral pattern
straight up and down the body
and the body’s ability to heal is severely diminished.
- Donna Eden & David Feinstein, PhD

For full functioning, energy and information must flow naturally in a contralateral or cross-over pattern, i.e., from left brain to right-body, from right brain to left-body, weaving unhindered from side to side. When you’ve been in a stationary position for a while, your body’s energy flow may shift temporarily to a HOMOLATERAL energy-flow pattern. So…? You feel physically stumbly and mentally bumbly!

If I have been seated at the computer for hours, or even in my easy chair, my thinking becomes sluggish, I move awkwardly when I stand, and my energy feels low. When I first rise in the morning, my gait is lumbering and I’m poorly coordinated. That’s because my energy flow is homolateral. It’s as though my only energy source is two columns of feeble AAA batteries, one running up the left side of my body, the other up the right, with no energy contacts between.

Persons who are wheel-chair bound or who suffer enduring or recurring fatigue-type illness often develop a chronic homolateral energy-flow pattern (Eden, 1998).

The Cross Crawl is the answer to homolateral energy flow. Imagine an exaggerated march step, done on the spot (or around the breakfast table, or down the street for that matter), with exaggerated arm swing and vigorous step. You can touch hand or elbow to knee to emphasize the rhythmic crossover.

Even when seated, you can do a Cross-Crawl
movement by lifting your knees alternately, and
touching each raised knee with the opposite
hand or elbow. Persons with chronic-fatigue
and those who have experienced head trauma
seem to benefit from regular cross-over exercise.
They describe feeling more energetic, alert
and clear-thinking than previously, and show
improved response to other energy-work
techniques.

If you’re in a situation or condition which makes doing the physical Cross Crawl action impossible, just imagine it! See yourself walking energetically with arms swinging. Visualize yourself skating rhythmically, or cross-country skiing! Such imaging calls your body to remember the fluid grace and integrity of contralateral energy flow.

For more information about homolateral energy flow and the value of cross-crawl exercises, I recommend Donna Eden’s ground-breaking book, Energy Medicine, written with her husband, Dr. David Feinstein, and published in 1998. See also the illustrated discussion of “Batteries in Parallel Allignment: Homolateral Energy Flow” in my own book, Feeling Free! published in 2001.

When I was under 35, I could do a lot of things without consequences. Allergies were a different story. I suffered consequences from eating things I was allergic to, or from hanging around cats. However, I could eat a bag of potato chips and notice a whole lot. Also, though, I had consequences but didn’t know what caused it.

I eat healthy 98% of the time. Two days ago, I ate at Long John Silver’s. For the past two days, I have suffered from painful pimples. I believe it is the skin trying to push some impurity (even if it is refined salt) out of it.

I think lack of consequences are what causes us to make stupid health choices.

I am not convinced flossing is necessary. I think smoking, eating dairy calcium or not enough absorbable calcium (dark green leafy veggies or salmon), and drinking carbonation causes more tooth problems than not flossing.

The sun is good for you. Don’t use sunscreen. It blocks the vitamin D you need, and provides your skin with cancer-causing chemicals. Instead, use no sunscreen and eat antioxidant-rich food that kill free radical cancer cells.

You know you’ve got your physical coming up, but your boss needs that report ASAP so you cancel the appointment to get your work done. Or maybe you’re just scared of your diagnoses.

I believe preventative health includes exercise and eating healthy food, and not eating unhealthy food, NOT going to the doctor’s office. If you have a problem, get checked out. If you feel you need a physical, get one. However, going to the doctor puts you into the system, and you will end up going the route of prescriptions, pharmacy, hospital, follow-up appointments, etc. You are better off to go to a naturopathic doctor.

When you are stressed, if possible, take a 15 minute break to relax. Your body and mind scream that you don’t have time, but do it anyway. It is amazing how a mountainous problem shrinks to a minimum problem with a break.

Don’t take antibiotics, take garlic instead. Raw garlic sliced up small and swallowed with water three times a day makes any infection flee in a hurry. Swallow fast, and you won’t even taste it.

Don’t take medicine at all. Instead, buy a copy of the Nutrition Almanac and Foods that Heal, and Prescription for Nutritional Healing.

I drink one glass of wine a day. The Bible advises not to get drunk. Do all things in moderation.

It depends on the fat, whether avoid it or not. I avoid corn oil, vegetable oil, and canola oil. I use olive oil or coconut oil or butter. I don’t eliminate animal products, but rather eat a total of 2 ounces of cheese per serving, 4 ounces of chicken or fish per serving, 1/2 cup of beans per serving, 1/4 of a cup of nuts or 2 tablespoons of nut butter, or 1 cup of yogurt, or 2 eggs. I limit to 3 servings per day. I do recommend avoiding processed food.

Body

Whether it’s eating that second piece of chocolate cake or bumming a cigarette off a friend at a bar, we constantly make decisions that adversely affect our health.

We take these risks because we tend to have a short-term view of our health, says Dr. Jim King, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. But, King says, over the long term you’re putting yourself at risk for debilitating — but often preventable — diseases.

So here are 11 things we do even though our doctors (and mothers) tell us we shouldn’t.

t’s important to floss, says Dr. Kimberly Harms, a dentist from Farmington, Minnesota, because otherwise you’re allowing a little bacterial infection to fester in between your teeth and gums.

You might not see the negative effects right away, but over time, your teeth and gums will decay. This can lead to cavities and gum disease. It can also eat away the bone that keeps your teeth in place, which will eventually result in a loss of teeth.

A nice tan may sounds like a good way to show off your last beach vacation, but that tan could cause skin damage — or worse. More than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Sun damage is cumulative so every time you go to your child’s soccer game, run an errand or even just walk across the street, your skin is absorbing powerful UVA and UVB rays from the sun. “When you add up all those exposures, you increase your risk,” said Diane Berson, assistant professor of dermatology at Cornell University in New York City.

You know you’ve got your physical coming up, but your boss needs that report ASAP so you cancel the appointment to get your work done. Or maybe you’re just scared of your diagnoses.

It’s not uncommon for people to skip a doctor’s visit, according to King. But, you may be putting yourself at risk for something that could be easily treated, and the longer you wait, the harder it will be. “A lot of people just don’t think about preventative health,” King said. “Do you have the immunizations you need? Have you had cancer screening?”

Though stress is often seen as an emotional or mental condition, there is a physical component to it as well. Feelings of aggravation and nervousness cause the release of adrenaline, which increases a person’s heart rate. Stress can also cause chest pain, high-blood pressure, headaches and difficultly sleeping.

These problems can compound, according to King. It can become a nasty cycle, where stress leads to more problems, which, in turn, leads to more stress.

Over medicating goes hand in hand with the overuse of antibiotics, the often life-saving drugs that fight bacterial infections. Antibiotics, however, don’t fight viruses.

“People want a cure for everything, but pills don’t cure it all,” McDonald said. Many patients demand antibiotics from their doctors. If the physician won’t write the prescription, some go so far as to get the drugs from the Internet.

Instead of making people feel better, the overuse of antibiotics simply creates strains of bacteria that are resistant to drugs.

Whether it’s high blood pressure, trouble sleeping or difficulty keeping cholesterol levels down, doctors have good intentions when they fill out a prescription slip. But, seven, 10, 22 medications later, you could start your own pharmacy from the number of pills you take every day. Plus, there is always a risk of a drug interaction between prescriptions or with an over-the-counter medication or even with some foods. Dizziness, nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort are just some of the side effects of too much medication. “They actually create health problems by using too many prescriptions,” said Dr. William McDonald, a family physician with Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Massachusetts.

Most studies show that one drink a day, like a glass of red wine, may be beneficial for your heart. But, more than that and you start to run into complications like liver disease, high-blood pressure or a heart condition called cardiomyopathy, which occurs when the heart is weakened and can’t pump blood efficiently.

And skipping a glass of wine one day doesn’t mean you can drink two the next. “You can’t … say I’m not going to drink Monday through Thursday and then have five beers on Friday,” King said.

Eating healthy is usually easier said than done. Whether it’s a lack of time, a lack of food knowledge or a lack of motivation, Americans consistently reach for processed foods when it’s time to refuel.

Food choices are not without consequences. Too much sodium, which is a staple of processed foods, can lead to high blood pressure. Fast food joints churn out products with massive amounts of fat and cholesterol, which turn your heart into a ticking time bomb.

There is wisdom in this article. I purposely don’t buy junk food, because I don’t eat it if it’s not in the house. I am not highly likely to go on a chocolate run to the store, or a potato chip run. But if I have to only open the freezer or go to the laundry room to do it, or if I happen to be in one of those areas, I will cave in to temptation.

Also, the “slip-up”. I have been married to a dieter for 19 years. I am very familiar with the “slip-up”. The “Oops, I ate something not on my diet. I can’t diet any more.” I am also very familiar with “My diet starts on Monday”. I am also familiar with “My diet starts on Monday, so I am going to feast this weekend before my diet starts on Monday”.

I preach exercising all the time. Today is an unusual day. I usually start the day at 8:35 a.m. with 30 minutes or more of exercise. Yesterday we walked for an hour and 15 minutes. Today Wash slept late, and I took advantage of his nap. I can’t get him down for a nap in his bed most of the time. When he stays asleep when I sneak out, I have to take advantage of it. I don’t have the patience with five other kids to listen to his crying as he cries it out in his own bed.

So, we worked on cleaning the house, laundry, cooking, dishwasher, cleaning out a closet until 11:15 a.m. By then it was 86 degrees outside, and I said, “No, thank you” to a walk.

Look at a diet as a lifetime change, not as a short-term thing you are doing. Instead of trying to lose weight, make your goal to eat healthy for the rest of your life. Just use small portions of healthy food now.

I lay out my food for the day first thing in the morning. I spend the day eating the food, and putting the rest back for the next meal. I try to eat my vegetables first thing in the morning when I am hungry so they are “out of the way”. They turn into “yuckies” I have to eat if I get full on grain and protein, THEN try to eat vegetables. It’s an unusual breakfast, but at least my veggies get eaten.

I don’t eat until I am full. I make sure I am getting a fruit, a grain, and a protein at each meal. I eat my meal when my veggies are gone.

AOL Diet

You may be having trouble sticking with your diet plan for reasons you don’t realize. AOL Diet & Fitness Life Coach Judith Beck, author of ‘The Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook,’ explains how to avoid diet obstacles and counteract sabotaging thoughts. Now watch your waistline shrink.

There are lots of diets that promise quick and easy weight loss — all while you’re allowed to eat anything you want. But there is no scientific research that supports the idea of a magic diet or pill. If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Period.

How are you supposed to stick to your diet when tempting foods — and food-pushing friends, colleagues and family members — are all around? It’s essential that you minimize food triggers at the beginning of your diet. Start by clearing out all the high-calorie, in-your-face foods in your refrigerator and pantry.

Remember the calories burned, calories consumed equation? Now’s the time to pick an exercise program. Yes, the goal is 30 minutes a day. But that doesn’t mean if you can’t exercise for the full half-hour, it’s not worth breaking a sweat or flexing a muscle at all. Five minutes a day is better than zero minutes.

It’s hard to take your diet one day at a time when your goal is to lose 10 or 25 pounds. Don’t slip into stinking thinking: I won’t be satisfied until I reach my ultimate goal. One reason? It may not be realistic. Another? It takes time. Think baby steps, and give yourself a non-edible treat like a manicure every time you lose five pounds.

It’s a pain to plan meals ahead of time. And you already know all about serving sizes, right? Three ounces of protein, half-cup of vegetables, etc. Remember, if you eat only what you feel like eating, you won’t lose weight. Planning is a crucial skill for tomorrow, when your motivation to stick to your diet isn’t as high as it is today.

For many of us, the words “I’m full” don’t cross our lips as often as our forks do. And what’s the harm in eating lots of low-calorie or fat-free foods anyway? The answer is that while you may be chewing “safe” low-cal foods today, tomorrow you may want to fill up on other foods. It’s time to stop eating at feelings of fullness now.

One thing that can really sideline a dieter’s determination is “the slip-up.” For example, you just finished a jelly donut. You might say, I might as well have an ice cream, too, and start over tomorrow. Hold up. One infraction will not ruin your day — or your diet. Recommit to your weight loss program right here, right now.

You may want to lose a lot of weight very quickly, but a too-much-too-soon diet isn’t necessarily a healthy one. Keep your goals realistic and flexible. That way you’ll feel good each and every time you step on the scale, whether the numbers go down or not. If your expectations are too rosy or rigid, you’ll feel bad and be more likely to give up.

Just because you’re eating differently doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy going to restaurants, celebrations, holiday feasts and dinner parties. But you do have to face the fact that you won’t be able to eat like you used to. Focus on the company and atmosphere rather than the food. You have a choice: eat whatever you want or be thinner. You can’t have it both ways.

You may find you reach a plateau after several months and don’t lose any weight for weeks. Don’t despair: This is common. You will lose the rest of your excess weight if you continue to eat less and exercise more. And if it’s not realistic or healthy to continue losing weight, be proud of what you’ve lost so far and accept reality.

From ‘The Beck Diet Solution Weight Loss Workbook’ by Judith Beck, PhD, Copyright© 2007 by Judith Beck. Excerpted with permission from Oxmoor House.

When Benjer was a baby, I tried infant potty training. My method was simple. In those days, I only had three older sisters to care for. I was more in tune with my own needs. When Benjer nursed, I drank a glass of water. When I had to urinate, I took him in first, and had him go. (Prior information: When he was newborn, I held a cloth diaper in front of him with my hand there, so I could feel when he went. I made a SSSSS sound when he urinated. Later, when I took him in the bathroom and made the SSSS sound. He associated the two together, and unless I was too late and he had already gone, he was successful most of the time.

Then Jim came along. I read an “expert” book on how to do it. As recommended, I charted what his urination cycles were, recorded information in a notebook, took him at the correct time on the clock, made myself stressed out and crazy day in and day out, nights, weekends, always vigilant. I failed miserably, for a couple of reasons. One was that I was out of tune with his bathroom needs. When Benjer and I had the same potty schedule, I knew he had to go because I had to go. When the clock told me it was time to take Jim, maybe he wasn’t quite on the schedule the book said he was on. Or the timer would beep and I wouldn’t hear, and my body wasn’t nagging me. He was largely hit and miss when he got burned and went into the hospital. The hospital staff put him in disposables, and potty training was low on the list as he recovered. Once he showed off for a nurse, and told me he had to go while she was there. That was the last successful potty experience.

After his six weeks of recovery, the whole family got hit with the flu, I went on bedrest, then we moved Jim out of Dad and Mom’s bed, and THAT seemed like enough of an adjustment without adding potty training. Then it was a week before Wash’s due date, then Wash was born, then I was on bedrest for postpartum.

By that time, Jim was largely entrenched in soiling and urinating in his diaper without signaling us first.

I have had my hands so full with 6 kids and a new puppy to take care of, potty training Wash has seemed a monumental task, especially since training Jim has been such a colossal failure.

So every afternoon while Jim is napping, the kids fold their laundry while I read to them from one of the Little House on the Prairie books. I take Wash’s diaper cover off and nurse him while my cell phone is sitting next to me (to tell me the time), and when he “wets”, I make the SSSS sound. I have noticed that it is about half an hour after I nurse him that he pees. However, I have considered myself a failure in this again, because he always fusses, then he pees, then I say, “Oh, you DID tell me you had to go, but I didn’t know what you were fussing about.”

In the evenings when the toys are cleaned up, the dishwasher is loaded, and the kitchen is clean, the whole family gathers in the family room and I check my e-mail. I usually nurse Wash, then “potty train” him by holding him with the diaper in front of him. He is getting to an age where I can’t do it so much any more, because he likes to stand and exercise his legs. But when he will be still I can still train him.

So the other night, he let out this pterodactyl-like screech, out of the blue. He was quiet for a minute, then did it again. My husband said, “That was almost like he was trying to tell us something.” I jumped up, and said, “I wonder if that is his cue that he has to pee?” I took his diaper off and he was dry. I raced him to the toilet, made the SSSS sound, and he peed on command. Woohoo! Success!

I said, “That screech WAS his cue that he had to go.”

The next night, he did the same pterodactyl screech. This time he was already wet. I thought, “What the heck!” So, I undiapered him and took him in to the toilet anyway. He went again. So apparently, he couldn’t wait, but still had to go more.

I am in astonishment that such a lackadaisical attitude has yielded such success. You can’t miss the scream. It is very unique, and quite annoying. He also gets quite frantic, but so do I when there is a long line for the Johnny on the Spot on the 4th of July.

Benjer had a cue too, but his was a fussing that is quite different. When I was working with Jim, I was so focused on the science, I missed the art of listening for a cue.

I am still quite busy, and there have been times when my husband has asked, “Isn’t that his potty screech?”, and I realize that he signaled and I missed it.

Not only has Wash become successful, Jim has renewed an interest. Because he is 2 weeks from 2 years old, I can’t just hold him with a diaper in front of him. He is watching Wash, and I have put big boy underwear on him. Once he took himself to the potty, took off his diaper, and peed behind the toilet. I am not sure whether he was trying to do the right thing, or if he just happened to be standing there when he had to go. He spent Saturday telling me when he had to go. Most of the time, he was already wet or “stinky”. Once he did pee in the potty, though.

My parents (who are divorced, but they are in agreement on this topic) believe that I am the one who is trained, not the baby. They feel I am wasting my time, and that the baby will train when he is ready. However, now that I have a puppy, and I saw how much easier Niska was to train than Jim, I see that God has placed an aversion in people and animals not to soil their nest. In the mornings, when I am too sleepy to think, Wash starts his “pee wiggle”. He has to go, and wiggles me awake. By the time I am coherent, it is usually too late, but he continues to try to escape from his wet diaper. I know from experience with Benjer and Jim that the wiggling occurs before it is too late, and if I jump up immediately, and race him to the toilet, I am always successful in training the child to use the potty.

I am amazed that a 4-month-old baby responds positively to the same “Hurray!” and kissing that a 2-year-0ld does.

Note: I am still unsuccessful in night-time training with Benjer. When he was in our bed, he was dry night and day 24/7. When he moved to his own bed, he no longer wiggled me awake, and he was wet by the time I woke up to take him. Somehow I failed to teach him how to take himself to the potty when he had to go.

This morning, he woke up a half an hour earlier than he usually does, and was pleased to find he was still dry. I have been hesitant to wake him and take him potty, because 1) I am concerned that he will still be relying on me to take him, rather than on himself to go when he needs to, and 2) I don’t want to put up with crankiness due to short sleep all day.

Somehow I have missed that key point in teaching the boy to wake up and go, but at least we have small successes in small areas.

Spark People

Popular Discussions
what family fitness activities are you planning
Working Out with Kids Around
How are you planning to eat healthy on the 4th?
Binge Eating - Why do YOU do it?
Explore Our Message Boards Featured SparkTeams
Teachers Learning to Lose!
Emotional Eaters
Browse Over 10,000 SparkTeams

You Tube

sparkpeople

SparkPeople.com is one of the largest healthy living and weight loss communities in the world, offering FREE tools, articles, resources and support to help you achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Country: United States

Diets In Review

SparkPeople is a community. SparkPeople is a health site. SparkPeople is a fully-developed free diet plan. It incorporates a lifestyle-change approach to healthy living. It bases its nutritional components upon the food pyramid and its diet plan on the premise that you must take in less calories than you expend, in order to lose weight.

SparkPeople does not simply provide a one-line synopsis of what dieting should or shouldn’t look like. Instead, it guides you through a four-stage program that you initiate and sustain through education, group support and motivation. All this is done online via a community that exchanges information through forums, shared recipes and stories of success or failure, from people who are navigating through the same journey as yourself.

SparkPeople began in 2001 as a goal-setting site. When it became apparent that nearly all of the contributors and community members shared the goals of wanting sound nutrition, fitness and healthy lifestyles, they flung themselves full-heartedly into providing the best information about health that they could find. This lead to a full-scale discussion about the kinds of dieting programs that consistently produced results. What they came to believe, after all the study and input was complete, is that there is no magic bullet when it comes to living healthy. Being healthy is about both daily and lifetime choices. The site that exists today is a collaborative effort and attracts nearly two million users. In 2006, SparkPeople was ranked as the 6th most visited site in the “Health and Medical-Wellbeing” category and 3rd amongst diet sites. Spark’s mission is about creating support that translates into success and “sparks” the desire to pass “lessons learned” to others.

PROS

SparkPeople is about providing our body with a total fitness regime, including all the nutrients that a diet rich in variety can provide, all the exercise it needs to regain its desire for activity versus lethargy, and all the emotional support that reinforces the fact that we are a human community with the ability to motivate and sustain one another through victory and setbacks.

- Complete four-step plan and educational tools to make each step understandable.

- Forums and support modules on-site to help direct and support each member’s efforts.

- Email reminders that help you remain true to goals, or offer alternative methods when life gets in the way.

- Diagnostic tools for determining Base Metabolic Rate (BMR), age, weight, etc., which take into account the time frame you desire to reach your goal and help devise a weight-loss plan, accordingly.

- Support, Support, Support. Educational, motivational, momentum boosters, no punishment for not keeping “up to speed.” The ability to catch up when topics are missed.

- Meet people who like the same activities as yourself.

- Thousands of user-suggested recipes and comments from those who tried them.

- FREE. The plan, the support and the community remain one of the few free weight loss regimines in the world.

CONS

The SparkPeople are not private weight loss counselors. They provide you with the tools to learn about your body’s nutritional needs and about the science of caloric intake versus energy used. The support community and educational articles and discussions, along with groups who meet to enjoy their favorite recreational activity, fill up the crux of the program.

- No pre-prepared meals.

- No magic-bullet pills.

- More information than you can digest at one sitting. (It is best to take in each subject as it pertains to your personal goals).

- Easy to “surf past” forums that might be pertinent to your current situation, since they are so varied.

CONCLUSION

The Internet now affords us neighborhood meetings from the comfort of our own home. For those brave enough to enter even one discussion group, the opportunities for growth are limitless. The SparkPeople have filled an enormous need by bringing some of the best information they can provide to the general site, and then, by offering varied groups of people at differing stages of the journey, who can share, encourage and enjoy one another. Spark is most likely for that person who is willing to take personal responsibility for their progress, while enjoying the obviously well-intentioned input of others who have met and overcome their own hurdles. By sharing what works and doesn’t work among one another, no task seems nearly as daunting.

I took vitamins as a kid, and I was sick all the time. I believe food is the best source of vitamins. Today I will take calcium just to use up what I bought to prepare for labor, bilberry (because I am night blind), and hawthorne (because too much caffeine and any soy products mess with my heart beat). I take prenatal vitamins when I am pregnant, and whatever vitamins, minerals, or herbs the midwife recommends.

Health

… and 11 to steer clear of.

You’ve been told for years that popping a multivitamin every day might help you live longer. But the daily-multi habit has been getting a bit of bad press lately.

First, ConsumerLab.com, a watchdog of the supplement industry, found that more than half of the 21 multis it tested had too much (or too little) of certain vitamins—or had been contaminated with dangerous substances like lead. Then a controversial paper from researchers in Denmark and other European countries, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, made the claim that taking vitamins may actually shorten your life.

What’s the real story? Health talked to leading nutrition experts at Harvard and Tufts universities to find out and to get some answers on this and other confusing info about vitamins.

Are multivitamins safe?
Vitamins have been recommended for years because they help you get key nutrients if your diet’s low on fruits and veggies—and may even help prevent cancer and heart disease. And it’s unlikely that one critical paper (speculating that vitamin supplements might upset your body’s natural healing process and boost your risk of death) will change that.

Longtime vitamin experts at Tufts University and the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University continue to say multis aren’t dangerous and the paper’s findings are wrong. The paper analyzed previous studies, including many with people who were sick before taking vitamins, so there’s a good chance vitamins weren’t responsible for shortening their lives. Experts say the paper also ignored two major studies that found vitamins reduced the risk of death.

At the same time, the study from ConsumerLab.com shows that you can’t assume just any vitamin is safe. Because there are no uniform manufacturing rules for supplements, a multi may not contain what the bottle claims, could be contaminated with something from the manufacturing plant, or might have tainted ingredients.

Your best bet: Avoid the vitamins singled out by ConsumerLab.com (see “11 Multis to Avoid”), and stick with mainstream names like Centrum Silver and One-A-Day Women’s, which were found to be free of impurities and accurately labeled. Also, check vitamin bottles for the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), NSF International (NSF), or ConsumerLab.com (CL) seals. The USP and NSF are nonprofit groups that verify whether companies offer contamination-free products and use good manufacturing practices. Not every brand has the seals—some don’t want to submit to testing—but those that do (Kirkland and Nature Made carry the USP seal, for instance) are reliable.

How much should I spend to get the biggest benefits?
Price isn’t a sign of quality. In fact, some of the priciest vitamins—like The Greatest Vitamin in the World and Eniva Vibe, which cost more than $39.95 per bottle—failed the Consumer Lab.com tests. A mainstream brand like One-A-Day Women’s is $8.99 for a bottle of 100 tablets at drugstore.com, about 9 cents per day.

How do I find the right multi for me?
In your childbearing years, make sure your multi has 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid, which helps make and maintain new cells. And pregnant women should take a vitamin with 600 mcg of folic acid daily; this nutrient also reduces the incidence of neural tube birth defects like spina bifida.

A premenopausal woman should look for a multivitamin with iron to replace the iron lost during menstruation. Menopausal women should go without the iron. “Too much iron may raise the risk of heart disease,” says Meir Stampfer, PhD, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health.

If you’re taking a prescription, check with your doctor about risky interactions. (Vitamin E, for instance, may be a problem if you’re taking a blood thinner.) If you’re a cancer patient, you should ask your doctor about risks before taking vitamins. “Cancer cells need vitamins to grow, too,” Stampfer says. Plus, some vitamins can interfere with chemotherapy.

What’s the best way to avoid that queasy feeling after taking a multi?
“Consider switching brands,” Stampfer suggests. Trial and error is the best way to determine which brands won’t break down poorly in your stomach and lead to irritation. Also, take your multi with food because your body needs some fat (or lipids) to absorb some of the individual vitamins. The delivery method (pill, liquid, gummy bear) makes no difference. But vitamins in liquid form may degrade more quickly on the shelf.

How much of each vitamin should my multi have?
The amount per serving numbers on the label should match the government’s Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI). It’s OK if they’re higher as long as they don’t exceed the tolerable upper limit (UL). (To find the DRIs and ULs, go to Health.com/links.) While most vitamins are listed in milligrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg), the label may use IUs (international units) for vitamins A, D, and E. The DRIs are 2,300 IUs for vitamin A, 200 for D, and 22 for E. What about the label’s % Daily Value column? Look at it with a skeptical eye: Those numbers haven’t been updated since 1968.

Women To Women

We have strong views about the qualities of the best multivitamin for women. Here is how we would describe the perfect formulation:

Complete. Based on the latest nutritional science, women need at least 30 vitamins and minerals, plus a rich essential fatty acid formula (i.e., EPA and DHA).
Bioavailable. The nutrient forms must be the most bioavailable. There are six patented chelated formulas we recommend be included. And of course it must meet USP standards for solubility.
Natural. No artificial preservatives, dyes, allergens or other contaminants. The fatty acid formula (derived from marine lipids) must be certified to be free of mercury and lead.
Reliable. We’ve been waiting over 10 years for the FDA to issue manufacturing standards for nutritional supplements. In the meantime, there are several sets of standards that have earned international recognition. The manufacturer must meet at least one of these recognized standards.
Laboratory tested. As is true for pharmaceutical drugs, every production batch of a nutritional supplement must be tested in a laboratory (i.e., “standardized”) to ensure that it contains exactly what is on its label.
Makes a difference. You are the final test. If the nutritional supplement doesn’t make you feel better within the first 30 days, try another formula. It may not resolve all your symptoms in that time, but you should feel a real improvement.

Find Articles

If You’re Older than 50: You could require extra amounts of vitamin [B.sub.12]. This crucial nutrient protects your heart by helping to lower unsafe homocysteine levels, and a deficiency can trigger irreversible nerve damage. The daily value of [B.sub.12] is 6 mcg, but many older adults lack enough stomach acid to absorb the vitamin efficiently, says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Tufts University in Boston. For that reason you may want to pick a multi that provides z5 to 100 mcg of [B.sub.12 daily.

If You’re a Man: Make sure you get enough selenium to reduce your risk of certain cancers. The daily value is 70 mcg, yet a D96 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that taking 200 mcg daily dramatically reduced the risk of lung, colorectal, and prostate cancers. A recently published update looked at additional data from the 1996 study and found that women received no cancer protection from selenium supplements.

This would be perfect for my mom who works at a call center…

Details Worktools

The Walkstation is the fully integrated combination of an electric height-adjustable worksurface with an exclusively engineered, low speed commercial grade treadmill. And it’s the first product in the entirely new FitWork™ category of products from Details designed to bring healthy habits to sedentary workers while they are actually working.

To view the Sit-to-Walkstation, click here.

For more information, call 800.333.9939

Treadmill
Display console shows speed, calories burned, time and distance. Console may be visible or stored
2.0 mph maximum motor
High torque motor to withstand the rigors of slow speeds and possible higher weights for long periods of time
Whisper quiet for the office environment
Uses 3-8 amps depending on walking speed
Series 7 Height-AdjusTable Worksurface
Height adjustment on the treadmill key pad
Worksurface proportioned for limited reach
Urethane High Profile edge spans entire front edge

Engadget

Anyone who reads the fine site Book of Joe knows that the man behind the blogging empire is religiously devoted to working out while writing, and prides himself on having integrated a treadmill into his workspace. Well manufacturer Steelcase thinks that this trend has grown beyond one individual multitasking in his underwear, and is poised to introduce a nicely-designed product called the Walkstation which seems more at home in a CEO’s office than your messy living room. Not many details are available on this converged piece of furniture co-designed by the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. James Levine (who’s been working in this specialized field for at least two years, apparently), but supposedly there’s an all day demo going down on October 25th at 4 Columbus Circle if you happen to be in the New York area. And if you do go, try to show up in a cab just to be ironic.

Update: We’ve learned — unsurprisingly, from the Joe mentioned above — that this rig will retail for a cool $6,500, thereby making it the Rolls Royce of integrated workstations. Thanks, Joe, and keep, um, running for the stars!

Update 2: Whoops, guess there’s no demo going on after all. You can still show up to that address, we guess, but you certainly won’t have the good time you would have had working and exercising simultaneously.

Crave C-Net

Following unusual workstations has become something of a hobby for Crave (we don’t get out much), but usually they involve conditions that are designed for maximum comfort. So one can appreciate our alarm upon viewing the “Walkstation” for its obvious threat to our stated pursuit of laziness, even while working.

This tortuous apparatus is essentially a standing-height desk attached to a treadmill, combining work with exercise for the ultimate in multi-tasking. Made by office furniture company Steelcase, the Walkstation is scheduled to make its formal debut next month for a reported price of $6,500. (That would pay for a lot of time at the gym, not to mention doughnuts.)

While clearly not our cup of tea, we know more than a few people who would love to have one. The alpha executives, in particular, could use them to prove their superiority over lesser simians.

I have noticed that on “bean day”, I am full all day. On “chicken day, I get hungry before bed.

Body AOL

Potatoes get a bad rap as little more than a waist-thickening waste of calories. But amazing new research puts spuds squarely at the center of the latest weight loss buzz, along with other unfairly maligned carbs such as corn and rice. The reason: All these foods contain resistant starch, a unique kind of fiber you’ll be hearing a lot more about. In fact, experts agree that it’s one of the most exciting nutrition breakthroughs they’ve seen in years. “Resistant starch has the potential to become the next hot nutrition trend,” says Leslie Bonci, RD, author of the American Dietetic Association’s Guide to Better Digestion. Indeed, more than 160 studies have examined this little known nutrient’s remarkable health and weight loss benefits.

Resistant Starch: The New Power Nutrient

Although this may be the first you’ve heard of resistant starch, it’s likely been a part of your diet most of your life. Resistant starch is a type of dietary fiber naturally found in many carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes, grains, and beans, particularly when these foods are cooled. It gets its name because it “resists” digestion in the body, and though this is true of many types of fiber, what makes resistant starch so special is the powerful impact it has on weight loss and overall health. As a dieter’s tool it can’t be beat: Not only does it increase your body’s ability to burn fat, but it also fills you up and reduces overall hunger. Its health benefits are truly impressive as well. Studies show it improves blood sugar control, boosts immunity, and may even reduce your cancer risk.

Resistant starch is bulky, so it takes up space in your digestive system. And because you can’t digest or absorb it, the starch never enters your bloodstream. That means it bypasses the fate of most carbohydrates, which get socked away as body fat when you eat more than you can burn. Here are two more key ways resistant starch can help you drop unwanted pounds:

It ups your calorie burn. Unlike some types of fiber, resistant starch gets fermented when it reaches the large intestine. This process creates beneficial fatty acids, including one called butyrate, which may block the body’s ability to burn carbohydrates. “This can prevent the liver from using carbs as fuel and, instead, stored body fat and recently consumed fat are burned,” explains Janine Higgins, PhD, nutrition research director for the University of Colorado’s Adult and Pediatric General Clinical Research Center. In your body, carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel, like gasoline that powers your car’s engine. Butyrate essentially prevents some of the gas from getting into the tank, and your cells turn to fat as an alternative. One study found that replacing just 5.4% of total carbohydrate intake with resistant starch created a 20 to 30% increase in fat burning after a meal.

It shuts down hunger hormones. Animal studies have found that resistant starch prompts the body to pump out more satiety-inducing hormones. A meal with resistant starch triggers a hormonal response to shut off hunger, so you eat less. Research shows that you don’t reap this benefit from other sources of fiber.

Low Carb Diets

A couple of years ago, while researching how our bodies use carbohydrates, I became interested in the benefits of resistant starch, a type of starch that is not digested in the small intestine (so does not cause a rise in blood glucose). Yesterday I watched a seminar on the Web about the most recent research in this area. I find the topic fascinating. It turns out that there is not that much that is different from the time I wrote an article about resistant starch about 18 months ago, but the data continues to accumulate in favor of the benefits of this starch. In particular, I was interested in the evidence that fermentation of resistant starch in the colon may be an effective way to produce substances which protect the colon from DNA damage which could lead to cancer. Also, there is evidence that chemical changes are produced that could help prevent obesity and diabetes. The challenge is figuring out how low-carb eaters can get more into our diets. Beans are probably the best whole-food way of getting it for us, or we can buy the starch and add to smoothies and such. I have a recipe for my flax meal bread with resistant starch added.

Goliath

As an energy store of plant foods–fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, tubers and potatoes–polysaccharides are built by assembling glucose molecules into chains, and then packing the chains away as granules. The two basic types of starch chains, amylose (a relatively linear molecule) and amylopectin (more complexly branched), exist in plants in a characteristic mixture of chain lengths and types, consisting of hundreds to thousands of glucose units.

To understand resistant starches, it’s important to understand how starches in general are digested. We cook grains, beans and potatoes to cause starch granules to swell and burst, releasing the starch molecules via gelatinization. From this point, starch-digesting enzymes in the intestine liberate the glucose.

Wash turned 4 months old on Monday. I took the kids to the park on Tuesday, and as I held him in my left arm, the kids were all swinging on the swings. Victoria was running challenges with Niska the puupy around trees and to trees and back. Wash saw his two sisters swinging, and got the giggles. It was adorable as he laughed for such a long time.

He is also cuddly and fun to kiss.

I haven’t figured out his sleeping schedule all the way, except that he has been napping at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. I don’t know how long. He is asleep by 9 p.m.

I am nursing on demand. Since he is not colicky it would be nice to have him on a schedule.

I wait on solids until the baby redirects my spoon into his mouth. That’s my cue he is ready.

http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=315

The 4-month-old infant is beginning to settle in by establishing regular sleeping and feeding cycles. He or she is also showing endless interest in his or her environment. The following comments are designed to help you and your partner enjoy your 4-month-old while continuing to gain confidence in yourselves as parents. This information is not intended as a substitute for well-baby visits by your newborn’s pediatrician. Never hesitate to ask your child’s physician for guidance concerning specific problems. This is the reason for regular well-baby checkups.

Parenting and Behavioral
This is an enjoyable time for you and your baby. He or she is more fun and less work. He or she is exploring more and trying to make contact with his or her surroundings

Continue to hold, cuddle, talk to, sing to and rock your baby as much as you can. Every interaction stimulates brain development. He or she needs an interested audience and a chance to use his or her laughing skills

Now is the time to think about getting your baby a playpen and some suitable toys to keep him or her entertained

Read brightly colored books to your baby. Reading is important to succeed as an adult and you can not start early enough.

Since the 4-month-old infant is more active, spitting up is common at this age, so have a good supply of absorbent bibs to protect your baby’s skin and clothing from being constantly wet

If the mother has returned to a second job outside the home, she needs to feel comfortable with the child care arrangements she has made for her baby

Parents need to keep in contact with friends and family to avoid social isolation

Baby Center

Researchers believe that your baby can now understand all the basic sounds that make up his native language. Between this time and 6 months of age, your baby will develop the ability to make some vocal sounds, which means you may hear the words you’ve been dreaming about, namely “ma-ma” or “da-da.” While child development experts say it’s too early for your baby to connect those sounds with you and your partner, that won’t make hearing them any less exciting.

You can encourage your baby’s attempts at communication by mirroring or imitating his expressions and sounds. He may try to imitate you now, too. Say “baa” and he may try to say it back.

Reacting when your baby makes noises or tries to say something will help your baby learn the importance of language. It’ll also help him better understand cause and effect. It’s great for his self-esteem, too. He’ll begin to realize that what he says makes a difference.

Expand on what your baby says and try to give it meaning. For example, you can say, “Yes, that is a ball!” Soon, his “ba” will become “ball.” Time for solid food?

For the first four to six months of life, your baby gets all the nutrients he needs from breast milk or formula. Still, parents are often eager to start their babies on solid food.

It’s true that your baby’s digestive tract is more developed now and his tongue-thrust reflex is starting to fade, so it seems a logical time to start feeding him some solids, such as pureed baby food or cereal. But there are good reasons to wait, too.

Starting solids later may cut down on possible allergic reactions, and ensures that breast milk or formula won’t get crowded out of your baby’s diet. And if you’re hoping that eating solids will help your baby sleep through the night, studies have shown that you can’t count on that happening.

The debate over when to start solids continues. If you’re unsure about when to introduce them to your baby, talk to his doctor. Remember, your baby is an individual

All babies are unique and meet milestones at their own pace. Developmental guidelines simply show what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon. If your baby was premature, keep in mind that kids born early usually need a bit more time to meet their milestones. If you have any questions at all about your baby’s development, ask your healthcare provider.

Mama’s Health

Infants will be able to hold an object in their hands and bring it to their mouths. They will eventually learn to pass an object from one hand to the other.
Infants will be able to push their heads and shoulders up and rest their weight on their forearms when they are lying on their stomachs.
Infants in this age group will start drooling and teething.
Infants will learn to roll from back to side, and then they will learn to roll from stomach to back.
Infants will learn to pull their feet to their mouth and play or chew on toes.
Infants may sit unsupported for a brief period of time.
Learning Milestones of a Four to Seven Month Old Infant

Infants in this age group will coo and gurgle and gradually start making consonant sounds. This will be proceeded by the infant’s imitation of sounds.
Infants will start reaching out for objects they want and link certain sounds with objects.
Infants will explore their mother’s body with their hands.
Infants in this age group like looking in the mirror, and they can examine things for longer periods of time.
Infants will look down when they drop something.
Emotional Milestones of a Four to Seven Month Old Infant

Infants in this age group will start to laugh, soon to be followed with chuckling when excited.
Infants tend to not cry as much as before as they have found other ways to communicate their wants and needs.
Infants in this age group will fuss and be demanding if they feel their needs are not being met.
Infants in this age group will squeal and wiggle excitedly when they are stimulated by caregivers or something they favor.
Infants will smile at themselves when they look in the mirror. They will also smile at other babies.
By seven months, infants in this age group can hold out their arms when they want to be picked up or hugged.
When to Contact the Pediatrician

You should contact your child’s pediatrician if your child is showing any of the following signs or conditions:

Infant does not turn toward sounds or react to bright lights.
Infant does not follow caregiver or objects with their eyes.
Infant does not smile.
Infant is unable to grasp and hold onto an object.
Infant does not roll.
Infant cannot hold head upright without assistance.