Babies

Ever wonder how your infant or toddler sees the world and everything around them?
 
New York Times recently reported that researchers are getting a clue as to how babies and children older than 5 months react to their surroundings. Strapped to the young “test subject’s” heads are lightweight cameras that record videos marked with crosshairs to show where the children are looking. Researchers then examine the data to determine the reason why young kids look (or don’t look) where they do.

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It seems we've just gotten over the melamine milk scandal that killed six infants and caused serious illness to 300,000 more, when we stumble upon another piece of disturbing news. 

The Daily Mailreported that a number of female babies in Hubei have developed premature puberty. The babies, ages 4 to 15 months, have hormone levels comparable to an adult woman and have formed breasts. At present, the only thing linking each case is the use of infant formula produced by Chinese company Synutra. Synutra maintains their formula has nothing to do with the defects and thus far authorities have refused to run tests on the formula.

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A recent article from the New York Times reported that indigestible components in breast milk affect the composition of the bacteria in babies’ intestines, helping to protect them as they develop.  Three researchers at the University of California, Davis identified a strain of bacterium that is able to survive on the complex sugars derived from lactose that babies can’t digest. The bacterium, a subspecies of Bifidobacterium longum, coats the lining of the intestines in order to keep out other harmful strains. As Dr. German told the New York Times when commenting on this evolutionary genius, “mothers are recruiting another life-form to baby-sit their baby.”

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The summer break is drawing to a close, but while you’ve been away on holiday the team at beijingkids has been busy giving your favorite magazine an overhaul. We’ve got a brand new cover and a few shiny new tweaks inside. Be prepared to see new sections introduced over the next few issues and old sections revamped. We love it! And hopefully you will too.
 
This August is the pregnancy issue. We got two moms to scour high and low, looking for information to help newcomers and veterans alike navigate the maze of birthing options in Beijing. They found everything you need to know about hospital and natural births. For parents who are struggling to adapt to life with a baby, mom Sonia Cahill spoke with a therapist about postnatal depression and what you can do to spot the signs. If Chinese pregnancy traditions have always baffled you, Kara Chin is here to set things straight.

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Sunny Guo (mom of one) will be holding infant swim classes at Splash Recreation Club at the Sino-Swiss Hotel this Sunday. A yummy barbecue banquet will be served after the class. If you love this lesson, then sign up for one of Sunny's regular swim classes held at pools around town. Thanks to Liora Pearlman (super mom) for sending beijingkids this info.

Details below (keep scrolling for all the dates, times, locations and Sunny's contact details):

AGES
DOLPHIN: newborn to 2 years old
SHARK: 2 to 5 years old

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Few busy travelers go more than a few days without problems interrupting their itinerary, including harrowing flight delays, upset stomachs, long lines and language barriers. Avoid adding temper tantrums and safety worries to this list by checking out BabyGro’s new items for little ones. From booster seats to blackout blinds, to ride-friendly luggage, BabyGro has the resources on-the-go parents need in familiar, trusted brand names, including Fisher Price. This month, BabyGro has newly stocked baby toys from US brand Sassy and Belgium company Motta.

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New research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology shows that women who choose home births might put their babies at a higher mortality risk. The study compared women from the US and Europe who had planned home births to those who had planned hospital births and found that twice the amount of babies died in the four weeks after home delivery. They found triple the mortality rate for babies born at home when “they removed those with congenital defects from the calculation,” according to The Guardian. Many of these babies died from a lack of oxygen during or after labor.

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I recently received an email from Oakwood Apartments and to be honest, at first I wasn't sure whether to believe it.

According to Oakwood: On June 12th, Assistant Front Office Manager, Tracy Cui, received a phone call from a rather distressed resident. It seemed his wife was going into labor, "right now!" In true superhero style, she was quick to respond, rushing up to the couple's apartment to help in any way she could. Ms. Cui then proceeded to assist the father deliver a healthy 3.85kg baby boy named Luca.

Ms. Cui, when not fielding calls at the front desk of Oakwood, must be a miracle worker because the delivery lasted a mere 10 minutes.

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A few months back I wrote a post about how our family was dealing with the ambiguous nationality status of our daughter, whose father is American and mother is Chinese.

ChengduLiving has also posted a similar article about one particular American father's dilemma over how to deal with the nationality of his child, born under similar circumstances.

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Summer is here and we all have our hot weather gear on to prove it. The temperature is rising, the kids are out of school and it's time to pack your holiday itinerary with oodles of fun.

Our huge double summer feature has come to the rescue of families still searching for ways to fill their hot and sticky days. We've got a list of 20 any day activities to satisfy restless little ones. Want to get out and about? Nine Beijing day trips, excursions and fun spots will keep you occupied. Need a beach-side break? Kara Chin has found China's best sandy locales, including Sanya and nearby Crab Island. If traveling across the Middle Kingdom, our China excursions will have you prepped and ready to go with all the best tips from people who've done it before. Heading overseas? Get inspired with four great family holidays from around the world.  

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