Taking Your Baby on Vacation

Taking a Vacation with Your Baby

By Christie Rinder | June 20, 2022

Now that summer is in full swing, and traveling is pretty much back to normal, taking a vacation seems more needed than ever! It’s important to keep in mind that for your baby, almost everything is new and stimulating. And if you think adjusting to a new space and unfamiliar things is a tough transition…

Taking Your Baby to the Beach

Taking Your Baby to the Beach

By Christie Rinder | June 7, 2022

If you are anything like me, you know there are really healing energies offered by the sand and salt water of our gorgeous beaches here in Tampa Bay. We live where many people vacation, and there is a certain type of serenity that comes from the gulf breezes and gentle lapping of the waters. With…

food allergies and your child sitting in high chair

Food Allergies and Your Child

By Christie Rinder | May 24, 2022

Did you know that about 6 million children have food allergies? That is a staggering number in my opinion. I never experienced a food allergy, so I was not very concerned about introducing my son to new foods when he was a baby. I followed our pediatrician’s recommendations until he was a certain age, but…

All about Bathing Your Baby

All About Bathing Your Baby

By Christie Rinder | May 11, 2022

You and your sweet new bundle are home from the hospital and finally figuring things out together. Each new day brings its own set of firsts for both of you. You may be nervous about some of the tasks you are facing, and that is completely normal. Every mother on the planet has been a…

Toddler Hugging his Newborn Baby Sister

Helping Your Toddler Adjust to Your Newborn

By Christie Rinder | November 12, 2021

My son was almost two years old and still in diapers when I gave birth to my daughter. I thought I had the routine down after two years of parenting. However, I quickly realized that my life was about to become a juggling act. One minute I was changing not one, but two diapers, dealing…

help-teething-pain-baby

Help, My Baby is Teething!

By Christie Rinder | October 11, 2021

Out of nowhere, your five month-old baby is fussy, irritated, chewing on everything (maybe your nipple or her bottle nipple), drooling a lot, has a slightly elevated body temperature and not sleeping well. Sound familiar? She’s probably teething!  (Side note here: lots of babies start drooling around three months old, this doesn’t necessarily mean she’s…

Parents-Need-Help-Not-Judgment

Parents Need Help Not Judgment

By Christie Rinder | February 5, 2021

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to deal with a Judgy McJudgerpants in your life? I recently wrote about coping with a colicky baby as a new parent – what made it better and what didn’t. Three aspects of the situation made it harder: lack of support judgment and unsolicited advice. I was exclusively…

coping-with-colic

Will My Colicky Baby Get Better?

By Christie Rinder | January 24, 2021

My baby boy was beautiful, healthy, and perfect in every way. Except — he had colic and it was really, really hard.  Prior to this I didn’t really know what colic was, but I was about to find out first hand. The first two weeks were fine. He slept. He ate. He made silly and…

common-car-seat-myths

Common Car Seat Myths

By Christie Rinder | January 13, 2021

Confused about car seats? You’re not alone! On the internet and social media, a lot of wrong, bad or outright dangerous info gets circulated around. So let’s put to bed some of these tired old myths with good and safe information instead. TRUE or FALSE: Fire stations are the best place to have your baby’s…

when-should-baby-start-solid-foods

When Should Baby Start Solid Food?

By Christie Rinder | December 11, 2020

I was so excited to start solid foods with my first baby. With ingredients from our community-supported agriculture delivery, I made her baby food with love. I ordered special spoons (to help with her ergonomics) and bowls, plates, cups and storage containers. And then guess what? She hated pureed food. Finally I tried giving her…

the-best-toys-for-your-baby

The Best Toys for Your Baby

By Christie Rinder | December 6, 2020

When I was expecting my first baby, I had so much fun buying baby things! Each item was researched ad nauseum, compared, considered and chosen with care. One purchase category got extra time and effort: toys. Of course, I wanted my baby to have the best. I was influenced strongly by natural parenting circles and…

best-baby-formula

What’s the Best Formula for My Baby?

By Christie Rinder | November 25, 2020

We are often asked, as lactation counselors, what formula is best for my baby?  (Yes lactation counselors are experts in ALL modes of infant feeding, not just breastfeeding.) This also comes up when we are supporting families as postpartum doulas. For us, the best baby formula should follow three simple rules. As a reminder, we…