Author: Kadi Leppik

Under a dummy I classify everything that is put in a baby’s mouth when they cry with a purpose to soothe them. In my opinion, a dummy is not a solution to resolve the baby’s problem.

Why are babies so attached to dummies?
This is only because they have been trained to use the dummy to calm themselves down. When they get older, they find it comforting and can only calm themselves down once they have the dummy in their mouth. In reality, sometimes the baby just needs to cry themselves empty so that they can be happy again. Instead of a dummy I actually advise to use a small blanket instead as a soother. I advise to choose this blanket in a way so when you put the fabric against your face, it feels very soft and comfy. That’s the way you can ensure that the baby likes it as well. As I keep saying, this baby is your mini version, so always think before buying whether you would use it and whether you like it.

Why a blanket?
Blanket will hold the baby’s scent and in this way baby will learn to calm themselves with it whether by sucking on it or cuddling it. If the baby is used to a dummy, and now you would like the baby to stop using it, then it is a good tip to drop some breast milk (if the baby is still young enough) on the blanket as this scent will calm the baby down. It is not going to be an entirely painless process but the parents have to remain consistent and need to have patience.

Why do I not favour dummies, is because in a longer perspective the children who have used dummies extensively, have found to visit the dentist more often with worries that there is not enough space in the mouth for new teeth to grow. Simple as that, and this is something we want to avoid.

Oh, and before I let you go – in regards to the blanket, please do not forget to wash it from time to time, otherwise it will start smelling quite bad (who has experienced this will know exactly what I’m talking about).

In conclusion, every parent has the option to decide what is the best for his or her child but hopefully I have given you something to think about.

A little while ago I talked about first aid for babies and toddlers, and tried to find out if there are any courses that are being ran in Estonia as well.

I will not get very specific as I do not have the teaching qualification for first aid but I would still like to share with you a couple of tips on how to make everything around the baby safer.

How to make your home child-friendly?
First, get down and lie on the floor. Then take a look around as you will be able to see all the wires, plugs and other things that may be dangerous if the baby gets close. If you have roller blinds with strings or chains, then these should not be somewhere where the child can access it as this is very dangerous if it gets around his or her neck.

Plastic bags (those small ones that you can put used diapers in) should not be left in the child’s reach, as there are numerous cases where children have suffocated due to plastic bags.

Every year there are also cases where the baby suffocates from eating grapes. Why? Because the child had been given a full grape, where in reality you should cut it in half or even into quarters.

Let’s talk a little about accidents as well.

Did you know that when a child has hit his or her head, they should not be forced to stay awake? Instead, they should be allowed to sleep as this is how the child’s body fights with stress. Obviously you will have to keep an eye on the child in case the health indicators worsen or the child throws up.

How long should I keep the child under strict supervision?
No matter what has happened, the child should be supervised at least 72 hours after the accident. The best way would be to write down when and what happened, so you have all this information if needed. Many parents make a mistake that they offer something to eat or to drink immediately after the accident, hoping that it helps to lift the mood. Actually you should not give any food or liquid to the child before you have ensured that the child is alright. This is why it is extremely important to receive an official note from the school or the kindergarten if anything happens there and to take this very seriously.

What is the difference in CPR for a child and for an adult?
First you have to make sure if he or she breathes. If not, then you have to start with the CPR. For an adult, you should call the ambulance first and then start with CPR. With babies and children, it has been advised to do CPR for one minute and then call the ambulance. Why? This is because the bodies of babies and little children lose oxygen faster than an adult does. Do not be afraid that you are doing something wrong. Are you afraid that you apply too much pressure and you break a rib? Honestly, that is the least of the worries, as breaking a rib is extremely difficult because they are quite resilient and flexible.

What to do in case of a nose bleed?
Squeeze the soft part of the nose and let the child breathe through the mouth for 10 minutes (child can stand over a sink or sit over a basin). For the next couple of hours do not let the child touch his or her nose as this may start the nose bleed again. If you have done 3×10 minutes of squeezing the nose but the nose bleed does not stop, call the ambulance.

What happens if a finger or an arm has been burned?
If there is no open wound, then hold the burned part under cold water for 20 minutes. Even if you feel that after 3 minutes it’s alright, then actually the burning process is still continuing under the skin and that is why after some time you will feel pain and the burned area will swell and get red. Keep in mind – 20 minutes! In cases of more serious burns, it is necessary to go to a hospital to get it treated.

I definitely recommend a first aid course for everyone, as it will make you feel more confident when acting in an accident.

So usually when your child reaches their first yearly birthday, you will start receiving questions asking when will they start going on a potty or alternatively, are surprised to hear that the child has not been potty-trained yet.

When is it a good time to start potty-training?
Actually you have a couple of factors you have to consider. First, the parents have to be ready for this. Often times the child is ready but parents keep postponing it as after trying it once, they had 6 pairs of pants to be put in the laundry basket. This is when they usually mistakenly presume that the child is not ready.

Gina Ford, who has written numerous books on babies and children, including potty-training, mentions in her book that you should start potty-training between 18 and 24 months. One of the French specialists on children (can’t remember the name at the moment but will add it soon!) says, that you should start if the child can climb up independently on the playground on those climbing trees. Earlier than 18 months and the child is not biologically ready. Different smart books do advise to reward the child with candy or something else if they have used the potty successfully, or when after lunch the diaper is still dry. I’m afraid I do not agree with this, but more about this a little later.

How do I potty-train?
When a child starts walking, then this means that you will not find peace even in the bathroom. This will remind you of those moments when girls at school went to the bathroom together and then waited for each other behind the door. If the little one presses himself or herself through the door, that is the moment when I have taken the little one to sit on the potty with me (me on mine, he or she on theirs). Everything after that is a smooth process, and there is no ‘buying’ them over with sweets.

I have also been at crossroads with a kindergarten where I put 5 pairs of pants in the bag, and we were running on the fifth day when I went to pick up the child after lunch to find that they had been put in a diaper! I got quite angry and said that we are almost finished with potty-training and asked them for an explanation as to why they have put a diaper on a child that is almost two years of age. They only said that they will not start changing pants and the child has to ask to go to a potty. Luckily other parents agreed with me as well and we got into a bigger dispute.

Imagine yourself, you pay many thousands of Euros for a space in a private kindergarten so that there is one child-minder for every 3-5 children, and even then it is too much to ask for a little bit of cooperation…this is quite a thinking point.

Currently it has become a habit with the little girl that when we go to the bathroom, we will see who is able to do their thing first. I kind of feel bad for spoiling the fun so I usually wait for the little girl to say ‘I’m first!’, and then she consoles me ‘next time you just have to be a little faster’. Furthermore, of course it would be a good motivator for the child to buy them underwear with their favourite characters – why? Who wants to pee on their favourite characters? No one! You can also give them a small book to read to keep them on the potty for longer.

Advice for potty-training:

• The parents have to be ready for this and cannot get angry at a child even if they pee in their pants. Be supportive, clean up the mess together with the child. This will take time and may take even 2 weeks. Be patient and do NOT show disappointment when the child has peed in a numerous pairs of pants within a couple of hours. Imagine, your parents had to go through the same thing when you were a child.
• It would be the best to start in the summer when the weather is warm. This way you will not have to worry about the child catching a cold.
• If a child pees their pants, do not change them immediately. Let the child notice this so they can feel the discomfort and they will learn to let you know.
• If a child successfully uses a potty, then be happy with the child and cheer them on for being good and ensure they see how happy it makes you. You can even take a picture and say that you will send it to daddy so he can be happy as well (don’t worry, every parent has these pictures in their phone).
• Keep the potty in a visible place and take the child with you to the bathroom.

When is it not a good time to start potty-training:

• When you have another newborn in your family, because the child will be too excited and also stressed with the new life in the family.
• If you have just moved as the child will need to get used to his or her surroundings first.
• If the child has been sick recently.
• If the child starts going to a new day care group/kindergarten or you have a new nanny.
• If the parents are under too much stress or there is some tension between the parents.
• If the brothers/sisters do not sleep well and there is overall much tension at home.
• During Christmas or holidays when there is a lot going on at home which can make the child feel anxious.

In conclusion, it is up to the parents to decide when to start with the potty-training. Please do keep it mind that it is not good to leave it too late as I have met many children who are afraid of the potty and even if they pee or poop, they get upset as they do not understand what is going on.

Keep your patience, just as you would when teaching your grandparents on how to use the Internet.

Last Sunday I was very happy because the Christmas things are already out in the shops in London. Usually at the end of August, I make a list to whom I send a Christmas card the old-fashioned way and who needs a gift. The latter is the most important especially for children.

I really like to choose wrapping paper, Christmas decorations, gifts and cards early, giving me the chance to enjoy the month of December. I like it when there is a large selection of wrapping papers and Christmas cards, as opposed to leaving all the purchases to the last minute, a million pairs of hands having gone through wrapping papers and making the prettiest cards look shabby.

During the month of Christmas, we make gingerbread with the children, make gifts and write Christmas cards, drink hot chocolate by the fireplace and read Christmas stories.

Isn’t it crazy how people rush to buy gifts at the last minute, and you know that in many cases it’s something unwanted that you want to get rid of quickly, for example by re-gifting.

Last year, we picked up all the pine cones we could find in the park, painted them and packed them in transparent bags that could be hung on the tree. The most special gifts for family members were cups that the children themselves had decorated and written their names on.

Doing things early also means December is not a month to go bankrupt, having spread out Christmas expenses over the previous months.

During the Christmas month, I always consider it very important to meet friends and family members to talk about how the year has passed and what are the expectations for the new year.

Does it sound familiar – you are giving the baby something new to try, whether it’s a puree or vegetables, and the little one makes a really big grimace and spits it out? Well, this is totally normal and sometimes it may take up to 15 times (!) of trying the same food before he or she gets used to its taste and the texture. Although, in case a child does not like boiled carrots but loves fresh carrots, then there is nothing to worry about as at some point he or she will completely forget about it and will happily eat boiled carrots as well.

When to start giving supplementary food?
Depending on the baby, it should stay around 6 months of age. When you start giving the baby any additional food, keep in mind that the baby still needs breast milk or milk formula.

How to get the baby accustomed to new tastes and what can I give them?
The tongue is sensitive to five taste groups. Ensure that you get them to try all of these group as this is the only way he or she can differentiate new tastes.

These 5 tastes are:
Sweet – parsnip, carrot, sweet potato, strawberries, bananas
Bitter – lettuce, broccoli, salad leaves, grapefruit, dark chocolate
Sour – natural yogurt, lemon, melon, grapes
Salty – celery, beet, meat, fish, eggs, milk
Umami – meat, fish, mushrooms, tomato, cheese

First, offer these foods just on their own and do not mix them. For example, steam or boil the carrots and then blend them very small. Also ensure you prepare the same vegetables or fruits in many different ways, as every way of processing changes the taste and the texture. Fresh carrot can be tasted to experience the sweetness of the carrot juice. Additionally, do not hide vegetables in sauces or in sour cream and eat it with the child so they can see how delicious fruits and vegetables are. Of course always cook all meat and fish before giving it to your child. Be creative and let your fantasy fly with different purees and smoothies. Easiest way to understand what the baby likes, is to think of yourself. Do you like it? Then this little mini version of you will like it as well!

How to handle spices? That’s easy. Add some cinnamon to a porridge or cocoa to semolina porridge and you’re done! Regarding this, I have not yet met a child who refuses morning porridge. For rice you can add some softer curry or small pieces of paprika.

As a note, the best time to grow your child’s love for vegetables and fruits is until they reach 2 years of age.

I would also like to stress that always keep an eye on your child when they are eating something raw as this may get stuck in their throat which is quite a hazard. Always ensure you are next to them and never let them run around with food. Grapes, gooseberries, different currants, small tomatoes and everything that can be dangerous, please cut these in half or even smaller. This would also lessen the risk of some ugly stains on your beautiful wallpaper and you will not have to worry about finding a carrot or a cucumber in a toy box covered in mold.

Over the past five years I have learned together with the children how to prepare different vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and how to fit them together. Quite often I take children to the market with me and let them choose five vegetables/fruits of their liking and then at home we experiment how to get the best taste out of these. And do not forget that sometimes the result can be quite weird for your tongue, but the children will love it because it is something they have prepared on their own. So refrain from making faces of dislike and instead applaud them for the new taste experience. You can always suggest to make a different combination the next time!

My own favourite for all kinds of steaming and pureeing is the steamer shown on the picture, which also gives me a chance to do everything at the same time.

And remember, for the best taste experience, choose the seasonal vegetables and fruits.

I have always been quite peculiar about who I work with and so I put in a lot of time to find the right photographer who I would trust with the task of taking pictures for my page Kadi and Babies.

Quite a while ago I saw wedding photos of one of my acquaintances and so I dropped a quick e-mail to their photographer – after a month and a half we had an agreement with photographer Anneli Leinemann. I had an idea that I would like to have some pictures taken for my page and maybe to have them taken with massage dummies used for learning.

My biggest concern was that I have actually never been to a photographer before and my confidence before the camera was nonexistent. To my surprise Anneli offered, ‘Hey, would you like to have my twins for this?’. My heart started beating faster and there was probably an excited glint in my eyes as I quickly replied that of course I would.

Working with children and families I know exactly what it means to have a plan and what actually happens. And so it ended up that by the agreed date the twin girls were a little sick. Also it was raining and it just didn’t seem to end. Then we agreed that even if it starts raining snakes and thunderbolts the next time, we will do the photoshoot on the evening of 5th September.

While planning my outfit I remembered that I have a beautiful green dress I haven’t been able to wear much, but luckily enough I had enough brains to ask Anneli what kind of colour to wear. And imagine the answer I got- she said everything else is fine apart from green! This was because we were doing an outside photoshoot and green reflects to the face, and of course the grass is green as well…so all colours would be fine apart from green.

When visiting Estonia I’m always very busy and this time was no exception as I didn’t even have time to do my makeup or hair. I washed it in the morning and went to the hairdresser’s in the afternoon to get it trimmed and that was it!

We met in the Kadriorg Park and the energy coming off from Anneli was so wonderful, sincere and warm. She unpacked her camera and the objective looked like something used to photograph wild animals! I was obviously nervous and my heart beat a lot more faster than usual. By how Anneli carried herself and her voice, she vaguely reminded me of Liisi Koikson, who in my opinion is a very sympathetic and well-balanced person.

We took a walk around the park and Anneli started taking pictures to get the lights set (or something like that). In between the shots she showed me some photos from her camera and I was so happy that I actually gave her a big hug… she made me look so alive on the photos, even if she said that’s just who I was and she had no part to play in it.

I received the first patch quite fast and these you can see as a profile picture on Kadi and Babies. I will definitely share all these pictures with you later on as well. The little twins, Nora and Lenna, who usually cry a lot and easily let their vocal chords loose, actually found that it was quite fun to play with me, and imagine their curiosity when they found how much hair I have for grabbing and how many teeth I have for them to count!

Amazingly big thanks to Anneli and to her wonderful family who lasted through the whole chilly autumn evening! https://www.facebook.com/Anneli.Leinemann.Photography

I left the park with great happiness in my soul, not caring a bit of the cold pinching my cheeks!