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It’s a common milestone we all assume happens when your child turns 1: Happy first birthday, have some milk with your cake. Non-human milk replaces human milk, and the weaning journey continues apace.

After all, the prevailing wisdom is to let cow’s milk replace breast milk (or formula) after your child reaches his first birthday. While it is true cow’s milk should not be introduced into a baby’s diet before the age of 1, the question is, does it really need to be introduced at all—ever?

Cow’s milk is safely used as a substitute for human milk (and a replacement to formula) because it is…

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As parents of a 14-month-old, my wife and I know that eating at a restaurant with a baby can be quite an adventure. Usually, our fine dining experience ends with us apologizing profusely to the waitstaff, leaving a generous tip, and walking away with a “blast zone” of food surrounding our baby’s highchair.

Of course eating out with a baby is a challenge when it comes to etiquette; but it’s also a challenge when it comes to choosing foods. Let’s face it: It can be hard to find healthy choices at many restaurants, even for adults, much less babies.

Still, many experts…

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It is such a simple solution—the fact that it works may surprise many—a five-minute conversation between a health care provider and a parent during their baby’s 9-month checkup increases the likelihood of bottle-weaning. Why is this important? Because prolonged bottle-feeding (beyond 15 to 18 months) has been shown to increase a child’s risk for iron deficiency—a condition that is common in children whose diet is primarily milk rather than a wide variety of healthy foods. And bedtime bottle use also increases the risk of tooth decay—another reason for why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends complete bottle weaning around 12…

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It’s that time of year! Many parents are getting ready to send their children back to school. But clothes and shoes, backpacks and notebooks probably aren’t the only things they’re thinking about. School safety tops the list of worries for many parents. Will my child get to school safely? Will he get sick? Will she eat a healthy lunch? Will she fall during recess and scrape her knee? While accidents do happen, there are ways to talk to your children about staying safe at school. Here are 10 tips to share with your family:

1. Know the numbers. Make sure your…

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It is a century old debate—one that began in 1899. A couple of professors and two representatives from butter associations appeared before Congress to complain about a bill that would prohibit them from coloring their butter with anything other than vegetable dye. They claimed that the organic compound aniline dye they were currently using was not harmful to health.

Fast forward to 2010. The debate continues, but it is now centered around the effect of food colorings on child behavior—specifically, whether artificial food colorings make children hyperactive.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says no, at least not for most children. But…

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Maybe I’m doing this backwards.

Recently I shared my experience of weaning my son. But let me back up and tell you why I decided to breastfeed my son for three years in the first place.

For starters, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding until a child is at least 2 years old and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends women breastfeed for at least one year and beyond, as breast milk protects infants and young children against infectious diseases and boosts their neurodevelopment. It also provides many health benefits for mothers. I knew this and I took their advice. But…

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When Stephanie Adams, the toddler lead teacher at the Baylor University child care center, takes visitors into her classroom, they swear her students act, react, and behave more like 10-year-olds than 2-year-olds. And though she can’t prove it, Adams believes that the sign language she has taught them since the age of six months might have something to do with it.

“I think it helps them not only communicate, but also develop faster emotionally,” says Adams. “We taught them signs for feelings, like ‘happy,’ ’sad,’ and ‘frustrated.’ Before they could talk, instead of throwing a tantrum, the kids could just let…

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