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Looking for gift ideas for a bilingual family? We offer books in Spanish, Dutch, and Hebrew for the readers in your life! Babies Nurse / Así se alimentan los bebés This beautifully illustrated book’s overarching theme of breastfeeding inspires conversations about parenting, biology, habitats, survival, and more, making this book an engaging choice for young children as well as elementary school readers. La lactancia como tema central del libro motiva conversaciones acerca de la paternidad, la biología, los espacios naturales, la supervivencia y demás temas afines, haciendo de este libro una opción entrañable tanto para los infantes como para lectores en la escuela primaria. Click Here to View Cuddled and Carried / Consentido y cargado Beautiful images in this entertaining and informative book introduce the reader to attachment in the natural world. Watching mothers lend a paw, wing, flipper, or hand to care for their young fosters empathy, kindness, and compassion. Supplemental back matter and a free Teacher's Guide helps parents, librarians, educators, and healthcare providers creatively describe caretaking, while introducing a range of early science concepts. Espléndidas imágenes introducen al lector al tipo de especiales vínculos que se dan en el mundo de la naturaleza. Observar como las madres extienden una pata, un ala, una aleta o una mano para cuidar a sus crías contagia un sentimiento de empatía, gentileza ysensibilidad. Material complementario y una Guía del Maestro gratuita ofrece orientación adicional a los padres, bibliotecarios, educadores y proveedores del cuidado de la salud. Click Here to View If My Mom Were a Platypus / Als mijn moeder een vogelbekdier was... Dutch version of our popular book 'If My Mom Were a Platypus'! All mammal mothers feed, protect, and teach their young, even though these tasks can challenge their own needs for survival. A mammal baby’s journey to maturity varies dramatically depending on whether it is a bear or a bat, a shrew or a seal, a hippopotamus or a human. This fascinating look at life cycles portrays the normalcy of birth and breastfeeding and explores how mothers help 14 different mammals navigate the path from helpless infants to self-sufficient adults. Click Here to View If My Mom Were a Platypus / Hebrew Edition Hebrew version of our popular book 'If My Mom Were a Platypus'! All mammal mothers feed, protect, and teach their young, even though these tasks can challenge their own needs for survival. A mammal baby’s journey to maturity varies dramatically depending on whether it is a bear or a bat, a shrew or a seal, a hippopotamus or a human. This fascinating look at life cycles portrays the normalcy of birth and breastfeeding and explores how mothers help 14 different mammals navigate the path from helpless infants to self-sufficient adults. Click Here to View Gifts for Bilingual Families We offer beautifully illustrated books in Spanish, Dutch and Hebrew that make wonderful gifts for language learners and/or bilingual young children and their parents!

Educational Resources We pride ourselves in not only offering great products, but in providing the resources that parents, educators, and librarians need to extend and expand the content and use our books as effective learning tools. This page contains: -Teacher's Guides -Guide to Children's Literature -Share My Lesson Activities All the resources are available here at no charge. Teacher's Guides Written by educators, for educators, these Guides are adventures in learning... bringing the content to life, across the curriculum! Use these powerful educational tools by themselves or in conjunction with the books. English Spanish Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide Book Download the Guide LWIS: Neighborhood Download the Guide LWIS: Animal Friends Download the Guide LWIS: At Home Download the Guide LWIS: In China Download the Guide LWIS: The Synogogue Teacher's Guides Guide to Children's Literature Guide to Children's Literature we are proud to partner with a digital platform where educators can collaborate and share learning resources at no cost. check out our first 3 resources: whale teeth baby bat cups adaptable necks visit our partner page SML

Unlock the age-old wisdom of cosleeping with Safe Infant Sleep. Dr. James J. McKenna explores the science and benefits behind it, helping you make informed decisions for your family's unique sleep needs. Say goodbye to guilt and fear. Discover a safer way for your baby to sleep. Sleeping with your baby has been the norm for almost all cultures through almost all ages. Despite this, few issues in modern parenting generate as much disagreement as whether or not parents and babies should sleep in the same bed. Authorities warn that child should never sleep in an adult bed. Parents who cherish the closeness, warmth and security of cosleeping find their hearts at odds with their brains. This page provides information about cosleeping, sleep training, crib safety, and overall sleep safety presented in an unbiased and family-friendly way. On this page, you will find resources to supplement your knowledge of safe infant sleeping and to assist in the facilitation of any discussions amongst groups of new parents, parents-to-be, and with your parenting partner. These resources have been carefully compiled to provide you with the most current research and accurate information, so you can make the best decisions regarding safe infant sleeping. Below you will find: an extensive FAQ , our Safe Infant Sleep Checklists , Dia's Safe Sleep Powerpoint , and a variety of other resources . Resources for Safe Infant Sleep Will cosleeping get in the way of my child’s ability to be independent? Ultimately, absolutely not, but it may delay your baby’s willingness to be alone when she sleeps. Sometimes parents are under the mistaken impression that if they don’t train their babies to sleep by them- selves, somehow some developmental or social skill later in life will be kept from them, or they worry that their babies will never exhibit good sleep patterns as adults. In reality, there has never been a scientific study anywhere that has shown any benefit whatsoever to sleeping through the night at young ages, or even sleeping through the night as adults. Independence and autonomy have nothing to do with self-soothing or forcing babies to learn how to sleep by themselves. Studies have shown recently that children who routinely sleep with their parents actually become more independent socially and psychologically, and are able to be alone better. The idea that you shouldn’t pick up a baby or touch a baby during the night, which is believed by many who promote solitary sleep, is completely antithetical to a hundred years of biological information on what constitutes good development: the development of empathy, the development of autonomy, the ability to be alone when you need to be alone, and the ability to interrelate and to become inter- dependent with others. As you begin to know your child better and identify your priorities as a parent, you will guide your child toward these goals. When compared to solitary sleeping children, children who have coslept tend to make friends easily, are more innovative, better able to control their tempers, and are better problem-solvers. Earlier we talked about parenting trade-offs, and this is an important and useful concept here. For example, should you choose to routinely cosleep all night every night with your child, you should be prepared for the possibility that, when you are ready to wean your child from your bed, they may not be on the same timetable as you. One study found that, compared with solitary sleepers from birth, infants who cosleep from birth either learn or accept sleeping alone about a year later than infants who have no choice but to sleep alone. So the trade off may be this: the emergence of independent solitary sleeping in children may be delayed with routine cosleeping, but eventually separate sleep will not be a problem for your child, and the good news is that as parents you derived great feelings and memories from cosleeping. Along with those experiences, your child may have developed a more permanent capacity for self-sufficiency, resilience, comfort with affection, and the ability to be alone when necessary. Will we be able to get a good night’s rest if we bring our baby into our bed? The answer to this question depends in part on exactly how parents define a “good night’s sleep,” and whether bedsharing is a choice made by the parents or a situation they feel was imposed on them by their child’s inability to sleep alone. But remember that the reason that many families unexpectedly decide to bedshare is that it permits the family to get more sleep. It is more accurate to say that some parents, while still happy with their decision to bedshare for emotional reasons, are not able to get as much uninterrupted sleep. For many families it remains worth it to bedshare with older children, even if on some nights Dad or Mom makes a hasty retreat to an empty bed somewhere else in the house for some extra rest they feel they need—a system I refer to as “musical beds.” Sometimes one parent takes the call from a child sleeping in another room and enters the child’s bed, stays for while, then slips back into their own bed. Moms and Dads often take turns—or maybe just Dad does the nighttime responding (as I did). For families that like this method, it can work very well. (Upon reflection, I can honestly say I think back with gratitude for those times when my son called me into his bed to snuggle upon waking and feeling a bit insecure.) Again, each family should work to find what arrangements work best for them. Contrary to popular belief, and according to the mothers themselves, the choice to bedshare with infants tends to promote a longer, more restful night’s sleep for both babies and parents alike, and this is especially true if the mother is breastfeeding. A baby sleeping in a separate room, in order to elicit a feeding from the mother, needs to cry. This generally makes the baby less calm and more excited, even before the breastfeeding begins. While bedsharing mothers may have many more arousals, they perceive that their sleep is better when they are sleeping with their babies. And, of course, if you do experience difficulty sleeping with your child in your bed, you can still experience many of the benefits of cosleeping by having your baby sleep on a separate surface in the same room. My pediatrician says I will create a “bad habit” that will be hard to break if I bedshare. Is this true? This ubiquitous warning is based on subjective, perceived values, not science. One family’s “bad habit” is another family’s most treasured time together. And for most (though maybe not all), bedsharing feels pretty darn good, and for all the right reasons. Like adults, infants and children will be reluctant to give up something that feels right to them. That said, any human habit can be broken and the way new sleeping arrangements are introduced depends on who the parents and children are and the special characteristics of the family. There is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding that you are ready to have your child sleep in his or her own room, but the trick is to trust your own knowledge of your child in deciding how best to do this. Methods tried by some parents include making bedtime full of stories and rituals unique to your child or offering a sleeping companion doll or favorite object, easing the child from the bed by having the child sleep on the floor or a mat next to the bed or on a cot or bed in the room but not in the bed, or merely stressing the excitement of a new room or having special privileges for an older child. Changing routines is a necessary part of growing up, and the transition away from cosleeping can be a positive experience for your child. What about naptimes? Most babies do not mind sleeping alone during naps during the day—it is the darkness of nighttime that is intimidating. But it is ideal to not isolate babies even for naps. Try to let your baby nap in a bassinet or crib wherever there are people around, if this is possible. Don’t worry about your baby not being able to fall asleep, because most babies can sleep in the middle of a rock concert when they are tired. The old idea of “Shhhh! ...the baby is sleeping,” only conditions a baby to sleep lightly and to stir at each extraneous noise. Babies feel secure hearing the voices of their brothers or sisters and parents while sleeping. The level of normal noises in a household assures a level of arousal in your baby that’s probably just about right for the safest possible sleep. And remember to purchase an extra set of baby monitors and put the speaker next to your baby! If I have twins or multiples, should we cosleep?" As with any aspect of caring for twins, there are added challenges to bedsharing, especially without the proactive involvement of your partner or spouse. My general recommendation is to place at least one twin back in the crib or bassinet after feeding and sleeping with one twin or multiple at a time, to place both or all infants back in the same crib or bassinet to cobed with each other (see the next chapter), or to place two or more bassinets next to each other. If you do not have the kind of spouse or partner that sees him or her- self as an active partner in the care of your twins, it is best not to fall asleep with the twins in the bed. Moreover, if regularly bedsharing with your twins, it is essential to have a king-size bed and a partner who is more than a passive participant, and who has agreed to work with you to take responsibility for knowing exactly where each twin is at all times. If the second adult does not agree to take responsibility for at least one twin, but you want to continue to bedshare, then do not leave one twin between yourself and your partner, but rather have both twins in front of you so that you can curve your body around them and shield them from your bed-mate. Keeping yourself and your twins at some distances from each other will be important too, only because it is easier for one twin to want to snuggle as close to you, and in the process, as close (perhaps too close) to his sibling as he can get. Use only the lightest of blankets to ensure free air passage for both twins. Being mindful of the fact that hungry infants are quite capable of mistaking a sibling’s nose for a breast is worth preparing for, because as strange or as funny as it may seem, one twin sucking on the nose of the other can quickly dehydrate the other. Yes, it has happened. I recommend that if there is a partner in the bed who has no interest in monitoring or taking responsibility for one or both twins, after each breastfeed (and if not breastfeeding at all), it is best to place the infants back in a bassinet or crib to cobed. (Karen Gromada has written a wonderful book on parenting multiples.). What is cobedding? Does it serve the same purpose as bedsharing? From a scientific point of view, this is an area that is little investigated. The term for cosleeping twins is “cobedding.” Cobedding is another form of cosleeping, and is very different from what the majority of this book has been concerned with. Cobedding takes the form of two bodies of equal size and weight in the same crib. How cobedding functions, and its role in infant development and safety, is very different from other forms of cosleeping. Since twins and multiples in general (for reasons still unknown) are associated with a higher risk for SIDS, questions pertaining to what kind of sleep environment might best protect them or put them at increased risk is especially critical. Questions pertaining to cobedding emerge against the larger background of trying to understand why premature births occur, as many twins are born premature. Prematurity is the leading cause of hospitalization during the neonatal period, and is responsible for up to 75% of neonatal illness and deaths, so this is an area in need of much further exploration. The challenge of all newborns in making their way from the womb to the worldly environment is to re-establish some kind of “biorhythmic balance” by stabilizing the functions of sleep-wake cycles, eating pat- terns, blood chemistry levels, and respiratory and heart rates. Two teams of researchers have argued that the mutual sensory exchanges that are facilitated by cobedding may enhance the ability of any one twin to accomplish this task specifically by improving breathing, using energy more efficiently and, in general, reducing the twins’ stress levels. It is known, for example, that the stress response which leads to increased cortisol production can negatively impact growth and development and generally alter thermal regulation, sleep duration, breathing and heart rate in potentially negative ways. These researchers found that, similar to what is observed to occur in the womb, cobedded twins move close together, touch and suck on each other, hold each other, and hug one another. Studies done by Dr. Helen Ball show that twins smile at each other and are often awake at the same time, supporting several anecdotal reports by parents of twins that their own infants prefer to be together, and that their babies settle better together and sleep more soundly when cobedded. Given the challenges of caring for two babies, as Dr. Ball points out from her studies, it is not surprising that parents will come to practice any behavioral care pattern which tends to maximize their own sleep and ease the burden of caring for and feeding two babies simultaneously. Nowadays when you hear a recommendation against cobedding, it often illustrates cultural biases against cosleeping in general where medical authorities assume—without any data—that if some instances of bedsharing between an adult and a baby are dangerous, then certainly two infants of equal body size must likewise pose a mutual threat. When and where there is a gap in our knowledge, or little information is available, recommendations (whether medical or not) quickly rely on generalizations, stereotypes, and anecdotal information, which is then passed on as if proven scientifically to be true. In this case, studies of bedsharing involving adults and infants are being applied to the question of whether or not it is safe or beneficial for twins to share a crib. Some hospital nursery wards are already assuming that the AAP’s recommendation against bedsharing applies to twins when, in fact, no twin studies were considered as the basis for those SIDS guidelines and no evidence-based considerations have, thus far, been used to justify hospital policies that argue against cobedding. As the following drawing shows, there are many different ways that parents of twins arrange a cobedding sleep environment for their infants: Is there anything different about cosleeping with an adopted baby? Depending on their ages and experiences, adopted infants and children may have heightened needs for affection and contact, but, if older, they may not be used to intimacy. Watch care- fully how your child reacts to you and respond accordingly. It is also helpful, where possible, to know your child’s history of experiences and assess what special needs or processes may be required to integrate the child into your family and to establish secure, safe and trustworthy new relationships. If you have adopted an infant and not a child, of course, there is no difference. Regardless of cultural origin, place of birth, or ethnicity, all babies have the same needs. Since attachment between any of us can be greatly enhanced by contact, cosleeping behavior can greatly facilitate the developing bond between your adopted child and yourself. It may be the case that adoption agencies require infants or children to have their own rooms. But you will be joining millions of parents whose nighttime care and associations with their children are hardly defined nor limited by the number of bedrooms they have, or where a crib may be located. What should a cosleeping family know about traveling together? During the first few years of life, you will find your infant or child will feel especially reassured sleeping in your company when away from home. Many parents permit cosleeping while traveling who do not ordinarily practice it. There does seem to be an elevated risk of SIDS for babies who experi- ence a previously unknown sleep environment. That is, babies between 2 and 4 months of age who are left to sleep alone while traveling and who ordinarily do not sleep alone have an increased risk (however slight) of dying from SIDS. And the reverse seems also to be true. A baby who does not ordinarily bedshare but who does while sleeping away from its home is at an increased risk of SIDS because she is in a new sleep environment. The bottom line: perhaps it is best while traveling to mimic as closely as possible what you ordinarily do at home. If you bedshare, bedshare; if you sleep apart, sleep apart. Keep in mind that if you are bedsharing while traveling, you need to ensure that the bedsharing setup is safe for your baby (see Part II: How to Cosleep). When you are traveling or on vacation, risk factors that may endanger your baby are still present. Risks may, in fact, be increased, so it will pay to be extra careful as to where and how your baby is sleeping while traveling. Will my child be different, in any negative sense, if I choose to cosleep or bedshare?" NO! Sleeping arrangements never, by themselves, create any specific kind of relationship that has not already been shaped by what occurs during the day. Sleeping arrangements only reflect the nature of the relationship a parent and child already share before they come to bed. In other words, sleeping arrangements generally reflect and sometimes strengthen, contribute to, or exaggerate the nature of the relationship that already exists, whether good or bad. Sleeping arrangements do not create a relationship: if the nature of a relationship is very, very good during the day, cosleeping simply makes whatever is already good just as good or even better at night. In contrast, if a parent is depressed or is resentful of the infant during the day, these same dynamics will impact the child negatively during the night if the parents choose to cosleep. That said, cosleeping can be a wonderful way for content and affectionate parents to continue to deepen the bond with their child during the night. How long should I cosleep with my child? However long you want to! In fact, how long an infant or child sleeps in proximity to her parents has never been a concern throughout all of the evolution of our species. As long as cosleeping is enjoyed by everyone involved and the relationship it reflects is healthy during the day, cosleeping in some form or another never has to stop...but, of course, it will. There is no specific cut-off after which suddenly, or even gradually, the family cosleeping arrangement becomes harmful, unless some- one in the arrangement is no longer pleased or at some point the situation has became socially, psychologically or physically unhealthy or undesired by a participating member of the family. Cosleeping (whether bedsharing or roomsharing) could never be best if all participants do not feel comfortable with the practice, and this is always the best time to stop. If anyone involved does not wish to cosleep, then cosleeping should never be forced. I am reminded of the number of times my South American under- graduate students sheepishly come up to me after my lectures on cosleeping to whisper their stories that they could never tell to their peers for fear of ridicule. More often than not, they wish to tell me they STILL cosleep with their parents when they return home for the holidays! One of my young friends described how all of the kids jump into their parents’ bed for conversation, storytelling, eating, watching TV, and for the simple enjoyment of sleeping together and being with each other in their parents’ bed. Should we cosleep if my partner is not the baby’s father? There is one study that has shown an increased risk of an infant dying when bedsharing with an unrelated adult male or other adult. However, the group that was studied for the most part had more than one risk factor present when these babies died. My guess is that if an unrelated sleeping partner is committed to an infant, assumes responsibility for her, considers the bedsharing infant his or her responsibility in the same ways the mother doethen the bedsharing should be as safe as it would be if the biological father or an adoptive parent were bedsharing. But the point is worth repeating. Unrelated adults may not care to be responsible for the infant in the same way as a biological or adoptive parent might be, or may choose to disregard their own responsibility for the infant’s safety. In any situation in which this is true, I would recommend against bed- sharing. Instead, place the baby next to the bed on a different surface. What long-term effects will my baby experience if we cosleep? It has never been proven, nor shown, nor is it even probable, that sleeping with your baby has any kind of negative long-term effects when the relationships between those involved are healthy. Instead, experts are finding that cosleeping can help develop positive qualities, such as more comfort with physical affection, more confidence in one’s own sexual gender identity, a more positive and optimistic attitude about life, or more innovativeness as a toddler and an increased ability to be alone. One major epidemiological study showed cosleeping school-age children as being under-represented in psychiatric populations. And, while I do not know if you might regard this as a blessing or a curse, a survey of college-age subjects found that males who coslept with their parents between birth and five years of age had significantly higher self-esteem, experienced less guilt and anxiety, and even reported greater frequency of sex! Cosleeping is part of a loving, supportive environment that parents produce for their children, and this, in turn, will give them the confidence to grow into social, happy, loving adults. Is it possible to reduce night feedings in a cosleeping situation? It is a difficult and unique process to wean a baby who has slept next to you from birth. The decision to wean is important, and should only be made if you feel it is necessary. Some babies might have difficulty adjusting to less breastfeeding. One strategy for less night breastfeeding is to breastfeed your baby more during the day. Placing a barrier between your breast and the baby, or sleeping facing in opposite directions can sometimes reduce the infant’s detection of milk nearby and eliminate some feeds, as can simply placing the baby in a crib in your room, or next to you in a bassinet. If your baby is crying to be fed, Dad can walk with the baby to help her learn a new association. Dad’s role in weaning a baby from night feedings can be very rewarding for fathers, leading to a new aspect of the attachment relationship with the baby. Trusting and using your own judgment and experience with your baby is important— and every baby will give you different insights as to what might work best for them and only them. Like the decision to cosleep or bedshare, the decision to wean has to be made carefully and with full attention to the needs of each individual family. Should I bedshare with my premature or underweight baby? In almost all of the epidemiological studies of which I am aware, infants who are small for gestational age or premature are disproportionately represented as SIDS victims and as victims of sudden unexpected infant death in bedsharing situations. While the reasons for this are not yet known, and could possibly include in-utero developmental events or assaults to the fetal nervous system (some of which are induced by maternal smoking, which can cause intra-uterine growth retardation), it is probably safer not to bedshare with your underweight or premature infant. Routine bedsharing does not seem to be found to contribute to the survival of these more fragile infants, so it is best avoided. Place your premature or underweight baby right next to your bed on a different surface, but not in bed with you. Skin-to-skin contact while awake, however, is extremely protective, and sensory exchanges with an adult are known to be clinically beneficial to developmentally disadvantaged infants. The more holding, carrying and breastmilk made available for these special babies, and the more physical interactions you have with them, the better. Safe Sleep FAQ These questions are excerpted from Sleeping With Your Baby: A Parent's Guide to Cosleeping, written by director of the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame and leading expert in the field Dr. Jim McKenna. This book, containing all the information parents need to know about cosleeping, is available in many languages, as well as in an abridged pamphlet in both English and Spanish. Dr. McKenna's newest book, Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions (2020), is also available in English and Spanish ! Safe Sleep Checklist Click the screen to download Dia's presentation on the benefits of cosleeping featuring featuring A charming baby dozes during each of her family's outings. Wakened by the sounds and smells of the places where they go, Baby opens her eyes and sees a lively detail—a flower, a hoof, a rubber duck—in this beautifully photographed series of books. Help Baby solve the mysteries of this guessing game book filled with beautiful photographs. Shop The Safe Sleep Checklist includes a variety of checklists from expert doctors and professional medical organizations to ensure a safe sleeping environment for an infant. Some lists address sleep training, cosleeping, and bedsharing, specifically, while others cover general safe sleeping requirements. Following the steps in the checklists will help ensure that an infant has a healthy sleeping environment. GET IT HERE . . . Cosleeping Power Point Fox 6 investigative report: Fatal Mistake Watch this investigative report and see what all these SIDS babies had in common in Milwaukee. It's a must-see for maternal/child health professionals and parents alike. Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied

We are always excited to work with other parents, educators, and bloggers who enjoy our products! If you are interested in working with us or writing about any of our products, please fill out our contact form. Thank you! BREASTFEEDING PROMOTION CHILDREN'S BOOKS FEATURED ON HUFFPOST Three of our titles are featured in an article on HuffPost! The author of the article, " 19 Children's Books That Normalize Breastfeeding , " writes: In honor of National Breastfeeding Month, we’ve rounded up 19 children’s books that are about nursing or feature images that normalize this way of feeding a little one. Check out the article here to see more great children's books. INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DIA L. MICHELS Dia L. Michels is an award-winning internationally published science and parenting writer, she is the author or editor of over a dozen books for both children and adults. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, Hebrew, Chinese, and Korean. A popular speaker, she lectures frequently at conferences, universities, libraries, and schools around the country. Her most recent publication is a Spanish edition of her classic breastfeeding children’s book, If My Mom Were a Platypus . Learn more about Dia and our latest release 'Si mi mamá fuera un ornitorrinco : Los bebés mamíferos y sus madres ' through this fun interview conducted by Children's Book Council! FEATURE FROM HISPANIC MPR Seventeen years after the publication of If My Mom Were a Platypus, Science Naturally published a Spanish translation of the children’s book. Si mi mama fuera ornitorrinco , the 64-page softcover title written by Dia L. Michels, translated by The Spanish Group and illustrated by Andrew Barthelmes is filled with color illustrations and journal style sketches of animal babies and their families on most pages. Read more of Hispanic MPR's article at their website . COME HOME SOON, BABY BROTHER Shanisty's son Adam was born full-term and weighed a whopping 9 lbs. 8 oz. at birth. She thought everything with him was perfectly normal, until he was diagnosed with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) at only 6 weeks old. It was a terrifying time for her entire family as Adam was admitted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for several days. He was hooked up to breathing machines and oxygen as he fought for his little life. Read how our "Come Home Soon Baby Brother/Sister " coloring books helped Shanisty explain to her older children what it was like for their new brother while he was in the ICU. Read the full story on her beautiful post: Come Home Soon, Baby Brother! Image Credit: Shanisty Ireland

Throughout history and across cultures, sleeping with your baby has been the norm. Yet, in our modern world, the practice is fraught with questions, fear, and guilt. In Safe Infant Sleep, a globally recognized cosleeping authority explores why health professionals broadly recommend against all forms of cosleeping, shar Coming January 2020 In the world of pediatric care, sleep safety guidelines are controversial and often misguided. Health professionals broadly discourage all forms of cosleeping, which, along with the potentially devastating consequences, makes deciding how and where your baby should sleep both confusing and frightening. Parents who cherish the closeness, security, and warmth of cosleeping are finding themselves conflicted, concerned, and exhausted. Cosleeping, a term which encompasses sleeping in the same room or on the same bed as your infant, is a common parental instinct driven by physiology and seen throughout human history. Despite mainstream opposition, thousands of parents continue the practice, whether intentionally, accidentally, or out of necessity. Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions Preorder Now So, why do current medical guidelines insist that cosleeping is unsafe? What is the difference between SIDS and SUID, and are they related to cosleeping? What should parents do to make a safe sleep space for their infant? If a family chooses to cosleep, how should they respond to reproach from friends, family, or medical professionals? In Safe Infant Sleep , the world’s authority on cosleeping breaks down the complicated political and social aspects of sleep safety, exposes common misconceptions, and compares current recommendations to hard science. With the latest information on the abundant scientific benefits of cosleeping, Dr. James J. Mckenna informs readers about the dangers of following over-simplified recommendations against the age-old practice, and encourages parents to trust their knowledge and instincts about what is and is not safe for their baby. This book offers a range of options and safety tips for your family’s ideal cosleeping arrangement. These include variations of roomsharing and bedsharing, and introduce the concept of “breastsleeping.” This term, coined by Dr. McKenna himself, is based on the inherent biological connection between breastfeeding and infant sleep, and provides readers with everything they need to know about safely sharing a bed with their baby. Complete with resource listings for both parents and professionals, this book teaches you how to confidently choose a safe sleeping arrangement as unique as your family. By James J. McKenna, Ph.D. | Forewords by William Sears, M.D. and Meredith Small, Ph.D. Paperback: 978-1-930775-76-3 | 288 pages | 5.5” x 8.5” | $14.95 eBook: 978-1-930775-77-0 | $13.99 Spanish: 978-1-930775-68-8 (Coming Oct. 2020) Audiobook available soon on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes Safe Infant Sleep press kit click on the icons below to open the corresponding document introducing: breastsleeping Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions is the first book to foreground Dr. James McKenna's concept of "breastsleeping". Drawing on the historic anthropological relationship between breastfeeding and infant sleep, breastsleeping refers to the phenomenon of breastfeeding mothers bedsharing with their nursing child. Here are the basics: With easy access to the breast, babies will night feed without waking their mother, or even fully waking themselves, meaning both mother and child get more sleep. Bedsharing increases the frequency of night feedings and has been known to extend breastfeeding duration. Worried about safety? Breastfeeding moms are physiologically attuned to their babies, and are likely to sleep more lightly, rousing if their babies are in danger. Further reading: Acta Pædiatrica article ScaryMommy.com Notre Dame News About the Author Dr. James J. McKenna directed the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame for 22 years. He received his undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, his Master's Degree from San Diego State University, and in 1975 earned his Ph.D. in biological anthropology from the University of Oregon, Eugene. He pioneered the world’s first studies of the physiology and behavior of cosleeping mothers and infants, and has published over 140 scientific articles in medical and anthropological journals on the topics of cosleeping, breastfeeding, evolutionary medicine, and SIDS. He has also authored several books, including Ancestral Landscapes in Human Evolution , Evolutionary Medicine , Sleeping With Your Baby , and Researching the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Role of Ideology in Biomedical Science . A leading authority on breastfeeding in relationship to SIDS and bedsharing safety, Dr. McKenna is a sought-after speaker at medical, parenting, and policy conferences around the world. About the Illustrator Alison Kreckmann is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she received Bachelor of Art degrees in English and Graphic Design. Alison lives in Washington, D.C., where she works as an Editorial Assistant in scholarly publishing, and spends her spare time drawing.

Throughout history and across cultures, sleeping with your baby has been the norm. Yet, in our modern world, the practice is fraught with questions, fear, and guilt. In Safe Infant Sleep, a globally recognized cosleeping authority explores why health professionals broadly recommend against all forms of cosleeping, shar Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions is now available as an audiobook! By James J. McKenna, Ph.D. | Forewords by William Sears, M.D. and Meredith Small, Ph.D. Read by Stephen Bowlby Audiobook: 6 hours and 35 minutes | $19.99 Paperback: 978-1-930775-76-3 | 288 pages | 5.5” x 8.5” | $14.95 eBook: 978-1-930775-77-0 | $13.99 Spanish: 978-1-930775-68-8 (Coming February 2022) Why do current medical guidelines insist that cosleeping is unsafe? What is the difference between SIDS and SUID, and are they related to cosleeping? What should parents do to make a safe sleep space for their infant? If a family chooses to cosleep, how should they respond to reproach from friends, family, or medical professionals? In Safe Infant Sleep , the world’s authority on cosleeping breaks down the complicated political and social aspects of sleep safety, exposes common misconceptions, and compares current recommendations to hard science. With the latest information on the abundant scientific benefits of cosleeping, Dr. James J. Mckenna informs readers about the dangers of following over-simplified recommendations against the age-old practice, and encourages parents to trust their knowledge and instincts about what is and is not safe for their baby. This book offers a range of options and safety tips for your family’s ideal cosleeping arrangement. These include variations of roomsharing and bedsharing, and introduce the concept of “breastsleeping.” This term, coined by Dr. McKenna himself, is based on the inherent biological connection between breastfeeding and infant sleep, and provides readers with everything they need to know about safely sharing a bed with their baby. Complete with resource listings for both parents and professionals, this book teaches you how to confidently choose a safe sleeping arrangement as unique as your family. Available on: Audible Kobo Chirp Audiobooks.com and more! About the Author Dr. James J. McKenna directed the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame for 22 years. He received his undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley, his Master's Degree from San Diego State University, and in 1975 earned his Ph.D. in biological anthropology from the University of Oregon, Eugene. He pioneered the world’s first studies of the physiology and behavior of cosleeping mothers and infants, and has published over 140 scientific articles in medical and anthropological journals on the topics of cosleeping, breastfeeding, evolutionary medicine, and SIDS. He has also authored several books, including Ancestral Landscapes in Human Evolution , Evolutionary Medicine , Sleeping With Your Baby , and Researching the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Role of Ideology in Biomedical Science . A leading authority on breastfeeding in relationship to SIDS and bedsharing safety, Dr. McKenna is a sought-after speaker at medical, parenting, and policy conferences around the world. About the Illustrator Alison Kreckmann is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she received Bachelor of Art degrees in English and Graphic Design. Alison lives in Washington, D.C., where she works as an Editorial Assistant in scholarly publishing, and spends her spare time drawing.

Featuring kids and cats from all over the world, this illustrated social-emotional learning book from author Guy Brown is now in paperback! Young readers will learn to look for the different ways their friends—human and feline alike—share their feelings. English Paperback Coming September 2024 By Guy Brown Illustrated by Davide Ortu Ages 2-7 | Grades PreK-2nd Paperback: 978-1-951995-12-6 | 32 pages | 8" x 8" | $14.95 Preorder in Paperback! Order in Hardback Cats hav e a lot to say! Just like people, cats share their feelings in all sorts of ways. It's up to us to uncover what our furry friends are trying to tell us. Are they gently purring or curiously crouching? Is their tail straight or swishing? Featuring a diverse cast of kids and cats from all over the world, this social-emotional learning book, soon to be available in an English paperback, models empathy and compassion. Young readers will learn to look for the different ways their friends—human and feline alike—share their feelings. Written by award-winning author (and cat owner) Guy Brown, with colorful and lively illustrations from Davide Ortu, How Cats Say I Love You teaches young kids how to care for others' feelings as well as their own, while showing that healthy relationships are rooted in communication. . “A fun and engaging book with lively illustrations, How Cats Say I Love You teaches young children to explore emotions and communication with the help of cats from around the world. A valuable resource for parents and educators alike.” — Janan Cain, author of the b estselling books The Way I Feel and The Way I Feel Too "Delightfully playful! This culturally diverse book models ways for children to manage their emotions and how to be mindful of the emotions of others. A warm and joyful addition to any young child's library." —A. Heather E. Halperin, MSW, LCSW, Retired Faculty, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Los Angeles, CA Get the bilingual paperback, available now! Order Now About the Author Author and TV meteorologist Guy Brown can be seen forecasting the weather on-air today in the Big Apple, New York City. Previously, he spent several years as a weather anchor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota. He enjoys volunteering at local elementary schools, where he shares his passion for meteorology with children. How Cats Say I Love You is his second children's book, inspired by his beloved pet cat, Rosalie. He also dabbles in acrylic painting, and is an active member of the National Weather Association and the National Association of Black Journalists. About the Illustrator Davide Ortu is an Italian artist now living in Spain. He studied art in Cagliari Arts Lyceum FOISO FOIS, Sardinia. He began as a graphic designer in advertising before moving to Madrid, where he discovered the world of children's illustrations. Through the use of intense colors, atmospheres between dreams and reality, and fantastic elements, his artwork stops time to show the biggest emotions in the smallest people.

The resources on this page will help you troubleshoot common breastfeeding problems, make well informed decisions about your infant's health, and show children and other adults that breastfeeding is normal and natural. Breastfeeding Resources Breastfeeding helps give your baby its best start in life: Breastmilk contains all the nutrients your baby needs for at least the first six months of his life and continues to be the most important part of his diet throughout the first year. The unique components in breastmilk contribute to optimal development for your child's brain, eyesight, speech, and jaw. Plus, breastfeeding provides ample opportunity for mother and baby to bond and form a secure attachment. However, we know that breastfeeding isn't always easy. The resources on this page will help you troubleshoot common breastfeeding problems, make well informed decisions about your infant's health, and show children and other adults that breastfeeding is normal and natural. All the resources are available here at no charge. Our Breastfeeding Educational Module identifies strategies that parents, librarians, educators, health care providers, and community members can use to educate children about this important form of sustenance. It includes a number of activities to normalize breastfeeding, help kids understand how breastfeeding works, and teach about breastfeeding in non-human mammals. Download here. Breastfeeding has long-reaching benefits for babies, mothers, families, and communities. However, most children do not have adequate exposure to this normal and natural act of parenting. Teaching children about breastfeeding familiarizes them with how important breastmilk is to infant development, promotes a better understanding of how mothers provide for their babies, and encourages healthy life choices. Download this handout for books, games, songs, and strategies to talk with children about breastfeeding. Children's books are a powerful tool for normalizing breastfeeding for children. Read this article on the ALSC blog from Platypus Media author and librarian Phoebe Fox about how libraries can support breastfeeding in their community: "Through a diverse collection, libraries can help expose children to the universal nature and beauty of the act." Click to Read Breastfeeding Help Lactation consultants are professional breastfeeding specialists trained to teach mothers how to feed their baby. They help women experiencing breastfeeding problems, such as latching difficulties, painful nursing, and low milk production. Click on the image to find one near you! When it comes to a baby’s health, parents need fast answers they can trust. A Pacify membership provides on-demand access to a nationwide network of Lactation Consultants and nurses, available for virtual consultation in English and Spanish 24/7. Pacify is available to purchase nationwide. Click to download: Breastfeeding is natural, but it does not always come naturally. La Leche League USA helps parents, families, and communities to breastfeed, chestfeed, and human milk feed their babies through parent-to-parent support. They encourage, inform, educate, support, and promote the use of human milk and the intimate relationship and development that comes from nursing a child for as long as mutually desired. Click here to find a meeting near you. This easy-to-read publication from the U.S.'s Office on Women's Health has how-to info and support to help you breastfeed. OWH is raising awareness of the importance of breastfeeding to help mothers give their babies the best start possible in life. In addition to this guide, OWH offers online content at www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding and www.womenshealth.gov/itsonlynatural . OWH also runs the National Breastfeeding Helpline at 800-994-9662.

Babies—whether in snowy dens, warm lagoons, cozy nests, or living rooms—are carried and cuddled, nurtured and nuzzled. This beloved book is now available in a bilingual English and Haitian Creole edition. Cuddled and Carried Karese'm Epi Pote'm Beautiful bilingual book celebrates the bond between parent and child in the animal kingdom - now in Haitian Creole Babies—whether in snowy dens, warm lagoons, cozy nests, or living rooms—are carried and cuddled, nurtured and nuzzled. Stunning images and gentle verse will capture the curiosity of even the youngest readers as they see how animal mothers tend to their cubs, pups, calves, and chicks. Beautiful images introduce the reader to attachment in the natural world. Watching mothers lend a paw, wing, flipper, or hand to care for their young fosters empathy, kindness, and compassion. Supplemental back matter and a free Teacher's Guide helps parents, librarians, educators, and healthcare providers creatively describe caretaking, while introducing a range of early science concepts. Twenty years ago, Dr. Nice helped start the Orphelinat Coeur d’ Jesus (Heart of Jesus Orphanage), a K-12 school in Haiti that today serves 550 students and houses around 50 orphans. He contacted Platypus Media about commissioning bilingual English/Creole editions of the book to be donated to the students of the school. According to Dr. Nice, “Our goal is to give one of these beautiful books to each of the children we serve so they have something of their own to treasure, and this book will certainly be a treasure to hold for the children.” Dr. Nice is working with two translators on the project, Pierre Alix Occide and Honoré Jean, who have also served as English teachers, translators, and interpreters for many medical missions in Haiti. Coming March 15, 2020 Size: 6 x 8 | Page count: 32 | Ages: 1-4 Paperback: $8.95 | eBook: $7.99 Paperback ISBN: 978-1-930775-82-4 eBook ISBN: 978-1-930775-78-7 View the Press Release . Free downloadable Teacher's Guide available. Also available in English and bilingual English/Spanish editions. what the experts say... “This book will... be a treasure to hold ” —Dr. Frank Nice, RPh, DPA, CPHP, founding member of Health and Education for Haiti. “Cuddled and Carried is one of those books children will ask to be read over and over. The illustrations make you want to cuddle and carry the book itself. The amazing lifelike illustrations show nurturing relationships of a variety of animals and their babies [who] share the meaning of love. Simple sentences promote a child self-reading from the artwork, even if they don’t know the words. Cuddled and Carried is a fun and educational resource. Highly recommended!” —Reader's Favorite ☆☆☆☆☆ review “What a gentle book! It nurtures a child’s empathy for others and opens their eyes to the world of nature. Very sweet and educational.” —Dr. Harvey Karp, FAAP, author, The Happiest Baby on the Block “A beautifully and realistically illustrated book that briefly introduces how animals care for their young. Young children will enjoy seeing care-taking by familiar animals and learning about new ones. A good choice for first graders to meet NGSS performance expectation 1-LS1-2 to read to ‘determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.’ The book places humans squarely in the Animalia kingdom, rather than setting us apart from all others, inviting comparisons between species.” —Peggy Ashbrook, early childhood science educator and author of Science Learning in the Early Years About the Author Dia L. Michels is an internationally published, award-winning science and parenting writer who has authored or edited over a dozen books for both children and adults. While her topics include science and math books for middle grade students, her passion is promoting attachment parenting and supporting breastfeeding. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, and Hebrew. A popular speaker, she lectures frequently at conferences, universities, libraries, and schools around the country. The mother of three grown children, she lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C., with four cats and a dog. She can be reached at Dia@PlatypusMedia.com . and Illustrator Mike Speiser ’s artwork has been featured on the covers of Wild Animal Baby magazine and on fundraising products for science organizations. His paintings have been displayed at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. He is involved with efforts to protect the natural world for future generations. He lives next to the Black Hills of South Dakota. He can be reached at Mike@PlatypusMedia.com .

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