Here are a few common questions and some tips for your baby's first private flight! When can my baby fly? There are no specific regulations as to when you can fly with a newborn. As long as baby and birthing parent have been medically cleared when leaving the hospital after birth, you are safe to fly privately! Whether flying private or commercial, your little one needs a passport before flying internationally. You should make sure that all the documents and paperwork required by immigration and customs are in place. Where should baby sit on a private plane? Just like on commercial airline ..read more

Alternative birthing choices such as water births, consumption of placenta (Placentophagy), lotus birth (umbilical nonseverance), vaginal seeding (the practice of inoculating an infant born by cesarean section with a sampling of fluid from the vagina of the birth parent), and deferring newborn vaccinations have gained popularity in recent years. This week, a new clinical report was published in Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, that examined seven emerging birth trends. As of publishing, few or no clinical studies researched most of these birthing tr ..read more

Have you heard of a Slate Gray Nevus? Slate Gray Nevi are a type of pigmented birthmark found on many newborns, most often located on the lower back and buttocks. The spots occurs due to entrapment of melanocytes (pigment cells) in the dermis of the developing embryo, when the cells have failed to reach their proper location in the epidermis. This birthmark is most common in infants of East Asian, Polynesian, Indonesian, and Native American decent. Slate Gray Nevi were previously referred to as Mongolian blue spots, however, this title is considered inappropriate and outdated and should no lon ..read more

Baby burping 101! Burping a baby can be a bit of an art-form that every new parent must master. Most babies will swallow air while feeding, increasing pressure in the gastrointestinal tract, which can cause discomfort, spit up, and overall fussiness. So how do you know when baby has swallowed extra air and needs to be burped? If your little one stops feeding, starts squirming, or becomes fussy during or shortly after a feeding, it’s a good sign they may need a burp! How often a baby needs to pause a feed to burp depends on how much air they are swallowing while feeding. Babies tend to take in ..read more

When flying, whether on a commercial flight or private aircraft, the safest place for your infant is properly secured in their car seat, not on your lap. Not only do the FAA, NTSB, and AAP strongly encourage using a car seat in flight, if you buy a seat for your child and are flying a US-based carrier, it’s your legal right to bring a car seat on board and use it! How do you know if your car seat is FAA approved? Near the base of the car seat, you will find a white sticker with lots of small print. In red letters it should say that it’s approved for aircraft use. Most infant seats sold in the ..read more

Spitting up is common in healthy babies! During the first 3 months, about half of all newborns experience spitting up- when the contents of their stomach come back up into the esophagus- a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux, GERD, or infant reflux. The small muscle between the esophagus and the stomach (lower esophageal sphincter) keeps stomach contents where they belong. In newborns, this muscle is still growing. Until this muscle is fully mature, spitting up might be an issue — especially if your baby is full. Here is the thing! The amount of milk or formula your baby spits up can be ..read more

Did you know that nearly 72% of all car seats are used incorrectly? Here are a few safety tips you can implement right away! -In rear facing car seats, harness straps should come from at or just below baby’s shoulders. In forward facing car seats (after a minimum or 2 years or the limits of your seat), harness straps will come from at or just above shoulders. -Harness straps should be “snug as a hug”. If you can pinch them, they’re too loose. -The chest clip should be at armpit level. -Check your car seat’s expiration date and never use a used car seat from an unknown source. The integrity of ..read more

Spoiler Alert! Season 5 of Fuller House was released by Netflix this morning. Episode 1 begins when Stephanie and family return home from the hospital with their new baby girl and it is revealed that she has hired a postpartum doula. When I saw that professional postpartum support and care would be featured in a comical, cheesy show that I have always loved, I was thrilled! That was until I saw the way in which this doula was represented. It was completely disheartening for me to watch such an absolutely appalling representation and portrayal of postpartum care and support. The “doula” portra ..read more

Some of the questions I am asked most often, especially living in sunny southern California, are about safe sunscreen for babies. As the warmer spring and summer weather approaches, it is important to remember some sun protection basics for your baby. How can you best protect your baby from the sun? Babies under 6 months of age should be kept out of direct sunlight when outdoors, especially during peak hours (10am-4pm). Whenever possible, move your baby to the shade under a tree, umbrella or stroller canopy with plenty of air flow. Dress baby in lightweight clothing that covers the arms and l ..read more

To sterilize or not to sterilize your baby bottles, that is the question! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a baby bottle be washed after every feeding with hot water and soap, then allowed to dry thoroughly. This helps prevent the growth of bacteria, which thrives in water or leftover milk. While your mother and grandmother may have used boiling water to sterilize baby bottles, doctors say there is no longer a need to do this. They now say that if your water is safe enough to drink, it’s safe enough for cleaning. Unless your water supply is suspected to harbor contaminated b ..read more